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THE NOVELS OF
JANE AUSTEN
WINCHESTER
EDITION
VOLUME
X
THE NOVELS OF
JANE AUSTEN
PERSUASION
EDINBURGH: JOHN GRANT
31 GEORGE IV. BRIDGE
1905
PR
4034-
P4
1905
629
Edinburgh : T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to His Majesty
PERSUASION
Finished July 1816
First Edition published 1818
the year after the
death of the
Author
PERSUASION
CHAPTER I
SIR WALTER ELLIOT, of Kellynch Hall, in
Somersetshire, was a man who, for his own
amusement, never took up any book but the
Baronetage: there he found occupation for an
idle hour and consolation in a distressed one ;
there his faculties were roused into admiration
and respect, by contemplating the limited rem-
nant of the earliest patents ; there any unwel-
come sensations, arising from domestic affairs,
changed naturally into pity and contempt. As
he turned over the almost endless creations of
the last century, and there, if every other leaf
were powerless, he could read his own history
with an interest which never failed : this was
the page at which the favourite volume always
opened
'ELLIOT OF KELLYNCH HALL.
6 Walter Elliot, born March 1, 1760, married July 15,
1784, Elizabeth, daughter of James Stevenson, Esq. of
10 A 1
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South Park, in the county of Gloucester ; by which lady
(who died 1800) he has issue, Elizabeth, born June 1,
1785; Anne, born August 9, 1787; a still-born son,
November 5, 1789 ; Mary, born November 20, 1791.'
Precisely such had the paragraph originally
stood from the printer's hands ; but Sir Walter
had improved it by adding, for the information
of himself and his family, these words, after the
date of Mary's birth "Married, December 16,
1810, Charles, son and heir of Charles Musgrove,
Esq. of Uppercross, in the county of Somerset, 5
and by inserting most accurately the day of the
month on which he had lost his wife.
Then followed the history and rise of the
ancient and respectable family in the usual
terms : how it had been first settled in Cheshire,
how mentioned in Dugdale, serving the office
of high sheriff, representing a borough in three
successive parliaments, exertions of loyalty, and
dignity of baronet, in the first year of Charles n.,
with all the Marys and Elizabeths they had
married ; forming altogether two handsome
duodecimo pages, and concluding with the arms
and motto 'Principal seat, Kellynch Hall, in
the county of Somerset,' and Sir Walter's hand-
writing again in this finale
'Heir presumptive, William Walter Elliot, Esq., great
grandson of the second Sir Walter.'
2
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Vanity was the beginning and end of Sir
Walter Elliot's character : vanity of person and
of situation. He had been remarkably hand-
some in his youth, and at fifty-four was still a
very fine man. Few women could think more
of their personal appearance than he did, nor
could the valet of any new-made lord be more
delighted with the place he held in society. He
considered the blessing of beauty as inferior
only to the blessing of a baronetcy; and the
Sir Walter Elliot, who united these gifts, was
the constant object of his warmest respect and
devotion.
His good looks and his rank had one fair
claim on his attachment, since to them he must
have owed a wife of very superior character to
anything deserved by his own. Lady Elliot
had been an excellent woman, sensible and
amiable, whose judgment and conduct, if they
might be pardoned the youthful infatuation
which made her Lady Elliot, had never required
indulgence afterwards. She had humoured, or
softened, or concealed his failings, and promoted
his real respectability for seventeen years ; and
though not the very happiest being in the world
herself, had found enough in her duties, her
friends, and her children, to attach her to life,
and make it no matter of indifference to her
when she was called on to quit them. Three
3
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girls, the two eldest sixteen and fourteen, was
an awful legacy for a mother to bequeath, an
awful charge, rather, to confide to the authority
and guidance of a conceited, silly father. She
had, however, one very intimate friend a
sensible, deserving woman who had been
brought, by strong attachment to herself, to
settle close by her, in the village of Kellynch ;
and on her kindness and advice Lady Elliot
mainly relied for the best help and maintenance
of the good principles and instruction which she
had been anxiously giving her daughters.
This friend and Sir Walter did not marry,
whatever might have been anticipated on that
head by their acquaintance. Thirteen years
had passed away since Lady Elliot's death, and
they were still near neighbours and intimate
friends, and one remained a widower, the other
a widow.
That Lady Russell, of steady age and char-
acter, and extremely well provided for, should
have no thought of a second marriage, needs no
apology to the public, which is rather apt to be
unreasonably discontented when a woman does
marry again, than when she does not ; but Sir
Walter's continuing in singleness requires ex-
planation. Be it known, then, that Sir Walter,
like a good father (having met with one or two
private disappointments in very unreasonable
4
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applications), prided himself on remaining single
for his dear daughter's sake. For one daughter,
his eldest, he would really have given up any-
thing, which he had not been very much tempted
to do. Elizabeth had succeeded at sixteen to
all that was possible of her mother's rights and
consequence; and being very handsome, and
very like himself, her influence had always been
great, and they had gone on together most
happily. His two other children were of very
inferior value. Mary had acquired a little
artificial importance by becoming Mrs. Charles
Musgrove ; but Anne, with an elegance of mind
and sweetness of character, which must have
placed her high with any people of real under-
standing, was nobody with either father or
sister; her word had no weight, her conveni-
ence was always to give way she was only
Anne.
To Lady Russell, indeed, she was a most dear
and highly valued god-daughter, favourite, and
friend. Lady Russell loved them all, but it
was only in Anne that she could fancy the
mother to revive again.
A few years before Anne Elliot had been a
very pretty girl, but her bloom had vanished
early ; and as, even in its height, her father had
found little to admire in her (so totally different
were her delicate features and mild dark eyes
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from his own), there could be nothing in them,
now that she was faded and thin, to excite his
esteem. He had never indulged much hope, he
had now none, of ever reading her name in any
other page of his favourite work. All equality
of alliance must rest with Elizabeth, for Mary
had merely connected herself with an old
country family of respectability and large for-
tune, and had, therefore, given all the honour
and received none : Elizabeth would, one day or
other, marry suitably.
It sometimes happens that a woman is hand-
somer at twenty-nine than she was ten years
before ; and, generally speaking, if there has
been neither ill health nor anxiety, it is a time
of life at which scarcely any charm is lost. It
was so with Elizabeth, still the same handsome
Miss Elliot that she had begun to be thirteen
years ago ; and Sir Walter might be excused,
therefore, in forgetting her age, or, at least, be
deemed only half a fool, for thinking himself
and Elizabeth as blooming as ever, amidst the
wreck of the good looks of everybody else ; for
he could plainly see how old all the rest of his
family and acquaintance were growing. Anne
haggard, Mary coarse, every face in the neigh-
bourhood worsting, and the rapid increase of
the crow's foot about Lady Russell's temples
had long been a distress to him.
6
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Elizabeth did not quite equal her father in
personal contentment. Thirteen years had seen
her mistress of Kellynch Hall, presiding and
directing with a self-possession and decision
which could never have given the idea of her
being younger than she was. For thirteen years
had she been doing the honours, and laying
down the domestic law at home, and leading
the way to the chaise- and-four, and walking
immediately after Lady Russell out of all the
drawing-rooms and dining-rooms in the country.
Thirteen winters' revolving frosts had seen her
opening every ball of credit which a scanty
neighbourhood afforded; and thirteen springs
shewn their blossoms, as she travelled up to
London with her father, for a few weeks' annual
enjoyment of the great world. She had the
remembrance of all this, she had the conscious-
ness of being nine-and-twenty to give her some
regrets and some apprehensions : she was fully
satisfied of being still quite as handsome as ever,
but she felt her approach to the years of danger,
and would have rejoiced to be certain of being
properly solicited by baronet-blood within the
next twelvemonth or two. Then might she
again take up the book of books with as much
enjoyment as in her early youth, but now she
liked it not. Always to be presented with the
date of her own birth, and see no marriage follow
7
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but that of a youngest sister, made the book an
evil ; and more than once, when her father had
left it open on the table near her, had she closed
it, with averted eyes, and pushed it away.
She had had a disappointment, moreover,
which that book, and especially the history of
her own family, must ever present the remem-
brance of. The heir - presumptive, the very
. William Walter Elliot, Esq., whose rights had
been so generously supported by her father, had
disappointed her.
She had, while a very young girl, as soon as
she had known him to be, in the event of her
having no brother, the future baronet, meant to
marry him, and her father had always meant
that she should. He had not been known to
them as a boy; but soon after Lady Elliot's
death, Sir Walter had sought the acquaintance ;
and though his overtures had not been met with
any warmth, he had persevered in seeking it,
making allowance for the modest drawing-back
of youth ; and in one of their spring excursions
to London, when Elizabeth was in her first
bloom, Mr. Elliot had been forced into the
introduction.
He was at that time a very young man, just
engaged in the study of the law ; and Elizabeth
found him extremely agreeable, and every plan
in his favour was confirmed. He was invited
8
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to Kellynch Hall ; he was talked of and expected
all the rest of the year ; but he never came.
The following spring he was seen again in town,
found equally agreeable, again encouraged, in-
vited, and expected, and again he did not come ;
and the next tidings were that he was married.
Instead of pushing his fortune in the line marked
out for the heir of the house of Elliot, he had >
purchased independence by uniting himself to a
rich woman of inferior birth.
Sir Walter had resented it. As the head of
the house, he felt that he ought to have been
consulted, especially after taking the young man
so publicly by the hand ; ' For they must have
been seen together,' he observed ; 'once at
Tattersal's, and twice in the lobby of the House
of Commons.' His disapprobation was ex-
pressed, but apparently very little regarded.
Mr. Elliot had attempted no apology, and shewn
himself as unsolicitous of being longer noticed
by the family, as Sir Walter considered him
unworthy of it : all acquaintance between them
had ceased.
This very awkward history of Mr. Elliot was
still, after an interval of several years, felt with
> anger by Elizabeth, who had liked the man for
himself, and still more for being her father's heir,
and whose strong family pride could see only
in him a proper match for Sir Walter Elliot's
9
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eldest daughter. There was not a baronet from
A to Z whom her feelings could have so
willingly acknowledged as an equal. Yet so
miserably had he conducted himself, that though
-jbe was at this present time (the summer of
1814) wearing black ribbons for his wife, she
could not admit him to be worth thinking of
again. The disgrace of his first marriage might,
perhaps, as there was no reason to suppose it
perpetuated by offspring, have been got over,
had he not done worse ; but he had, as by the
accustomary intervention of kind friends, they
had been informed, spoken most disrespectfully
of them all, most slightingly and contemptu-
ously of the very blood he belonged to, and the
honours which were hereafter to be his own.
This could not be pardoned.
Such were Elizabeth Elliot's sentiments and
sensations; such the cares to alloy, the agita-
tions to vary, the sameness and the elegance,
the prosperity and the nothingness of her scene
of life ; such the feelings to give interest to a
long, uneventful residence in one country circle,
to fill the vacancies which there were no habits
of utility abroad, no talents or accomplishments
for home, to occupy.
But now, another occupation and solicitude
of mind was beginning to be added to these.
Her father was growing distressed for money*
10
PERSUASION
She knew, that when he now took up the
Baronetage, it was to drive the heavy bills of
his tradespeople, and the unwelcome hints of
Mr. Shepherd, his agent, from his thoughts.
The Kellynch property was good, but not equal
to Sir Walter's apprehension of the state required
in its possessor. While Lady Elliot lived, there
had been method, moderation, and economy,
which had just kept him within his income;
but with her had died all such rightmindedness,
and from that period he had been constantly
exceeding it. It had not been possible for him
to spend less : he had done nothing but what
Sir Walter Elliot was imperiously called on to
do ; but blameless as he was, he was not only
growing dreadfully in debt, but was hearing of
it so often, that it became vain to attempt
concealing it longer, even partially, from his
daughter. He had given her some hints of it
the last spring in town ; he had gone so far even
as to say, ' Can we retrench ? Does it occur to
you that there is any one article in which we
can retrench ? ' and Elizabeth, to do her justice,
had, in the first ardour of female alarm, set
seriously to think what could be done, and had
finally proposed these two branches of economy,
to cut off some unnecessary charities, and to
refrain from new furnishing the drawing-room ;
to which expedients she afterwards added the
11
PERSUASION
happy thought of their taking no present down
to .Anne, as had been the usual yearly custom.
But these measures, however good in them-
selves, were insufficient for the real extent of
the evil, the whole of which Sir Walter found
himself obliged to confess to her soon after-
wards. Elizabeth had nothing to propose of
deeper efficacy. She felt herself ill-used and
unfortunate, as did her father ; and they were
neither of them able to devise any means of
lessening their expenses without compromising
their dignity, or relinquishing their comforts in
a way not to be borne.
There was only a small part of his estate that
Sir Walter could dispose of; but had every acre
been alienable, it would have made no differ-
ence. He had condescended to mortgage as far
as he had the power, but he would never con-
descend to sell. No ; he would never disgrace
his name so far. The Kellynch estate should
be transmitted whole and entire, as he had re-
ceived it.
Their two confidential friends, Mr. Shepherd,
who lived in the neighbouring market town,
and Lady Russell, were called on to advise
them ; and both father and daughter seemed
to expect that something should be struck out
by one or the other to remove their embarrass-
ments and reduce their expenditure, without
12
PERSUASION
involving the loss of any indulgence of taste
or pride.
CHAPTER II
MR. SHEPHERD, a civil, cautious lawyer, who,
whatever might be his hold or his views on
Sir Walter, would rather have the disagreeable
prompted by anybody else, excused himself
from offering the slightest hint, and only begged
leave to recommend an implicit reference to the
excellent judgment of Lady Russell, from whose
known good sense he fully expected to have
just such resolute measures advised as he meant
to see finally adopted.
Lady Russell was most anxiously zealous on
the subject, and gave it much serious considera-
tion. She was a woman rather of sound than
of quick abilities, whose difficulties in coming to
any decision in this instance were great, from
the opposition of two leading principles. She
was of strict integrity herself, with a delicate
sense of honour ; but she was as desirous of
saving Sir Walter's feelings, as solicitous for the
credit of the family, as aristocratic in her ideas
of what was due to them, as anybody of sense
and honesty could well be. She was a benevo-
lent, charitable, good woman, and capable of
13
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strong attachments, most correct in her conduct,
strict in her notions of decorum, and with
manners that were held a standard of good-
breeding. She had a cultivated mind, and was,
generally speaking, rational and consistent ; but
she had prejudices on the side of ancestry : she
had a value for rank and consequence, which
blinded her a little to the faults of those who
possessed them. Herself the widow of only a
knight, she gave the dignity of a baronet all its
due ; and Sir Walter, independent of his claims
as an old acquaintance, an attentive neighbour,
an obliging landlord, the husband of her very
dear friend, the father of Anne and her sisters,
was, as being Sir Walter, in her apprehension,
entitled to a great deal of compassion and con-
sideration under his present difficulties.
They must retrench ; that did not admit of a
doubt. But she was very anxious to have it
done with the least possible pain to him and
Elizabeth. She drew up plans of economy,
she made exact calculations, and she did what
nobody else thought of doing : she consulted
Anne, who never seemed considered by the
others as having any interest in the question.
She consulted, and in a degree was influenced
by her in marking out the scheme of retrench-
ment which was at last submitted to Sir Walter.
Every emendation of Anne's had been on the
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side of honesty against importance. She wanted
more vigorous measures, a more complete re-
formation, a quicker release from debt, a much
higher tone of indifference for everything but
justice and equity.
* If we can persuade your father to all this,'
said Lady Russell, looking over her paper,
'much may be done. If he will adopt these
regulations, in seven years he will be clear ; and
I hope we may be able to convince him and
Elizabeth that Kellynch Hall has a respecta-
bility in itself which cannot be affected by these
reductions ; and that the true dignity of Sir
Walter Elliot will be very far from lessened in
the eyes of sensible people, by his acting like a
man of principle. What will he be doing, in
fact, but what very many of our first families
have done, or ought to do? There will be
nothing singular in his case; and it is singu- <
larity which often makes the worst part of our
suffering, as it always does of our conduct. I
have great hope of our prevailing. We must
be serious and decided ; for after all, the person
who has contracted debts must pay them ; and
though a great deal is due to the feelings of the
gentleman, and the head of a house, like your
father, there is still more due to the character
of an honest man.'
This was the principle on which Anne wanted
15
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her father to be proceeding, his friends to be
urging him. She considered it as an act of
indispensable duty to clear away the claims of
creditors with all the expedition which the most
comprehensive retrenchments could secure, and
saw no dignity in anything short of it. She
wanted it to be prescribed and felt as a duty.
She rated Lady Russell's influence highly ; and
as to the severe degree of self-denial which her
own conscience prompted, she believed there
might be little more difficulty in persuading
them to a complete, than to half a reformation.
Her knowledge of her father and Elizabeth
inclined her to think that the sacrifice of one
pair of horses would be hardly less painful than
of both, and so on, through the whole list of
Lady Russell's too gentle reductions.
How Anne's more rigid requisitions might
have been taken is of little consequence. Lady
Russell's had no success at all: could not be
put up with, were not to be borne. * What !
every comfort of life knocked off! Journeys,
London, servants, horses, table contractions
and restrictions everywhere ! To live no longer
with the decencies even of a private gentleman !
No, he would sooner quit Kellynch Hall at
once, than remain in it on such disgraceful
terms.'
' Quit Kellynch Hall I ' The hint was imme-
16
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diately taken up by Mr. Shepherd, whose in-
terest was involved in the reality of Sir Walter's
retrenching, and who was perfectly persuaded
that nothing would be done without a change
of abode. * Since the idea had been started in
the very quarter which ought to dictate, he had
no scruple,' he said, 'in confessing his judgment
to be entirely on that side. It did not appear
to him that Sir Walter could materially alter
his style of living in a house which had such a
character of hospitality and ancient dignity to
support. In any other place Sir Walter might
judge for himself; and would be looked up to,
as regulating the modes of life in whatever way
he might chuse to model his household.'
Sir Walter would quit Kellynch Hall ; and
after a very few days more of doubt and inde-
cision, the great question of whither he should
go was settled, and the first outline of this
important change made out.
There had been three alternatives, London,
Bath, or another house in the country. All
Anne's wishes had been for the latter. A small
house in their own neighbourhood, where they
might still have Lady Russell's society, still be
near Mary, and still have the pleasure of some-
times seeing the lawns and groves of Kellynch,
was the object of her ambition. But the usual
fate of Anne attended her, in having something
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very opposite from her inclination fixed on.
She disliked Bath, and did not think it agreed
with her ; and Bath was to be her home.
Sir Walter had at first thought more of
London; but Mr. Shepherd felt that he could
not be trusted in London, and had been skilful
enough to dissuade him from it, and make Bath
preferred. It was a much safer place for a
gentleman in his predicament : he might there
be important at comparatively little expense.
Two material advantages of Bath over London
had of course been given all their weight : its
more convenient distance from Kellynch, only
fifty miles, and Lady Russell's spending some
part of every winter there ; and to the very
great satisfaction of Lady Russell, whose first
views on the projected change had been for
Bath, Sir Walter and Elizabeth were induced to
believe that they should lose neither consequence
nor enjoyment by settling there.
Lady Russell felt obliged to oppose her dear
Anne's known wishes. It would be too much
to expect Sir Walter to descend into a small
house in his own neighbourhood. Anne herself
would have found the mortifications of it more
than she foresaw, and to Sir Walter's feelings
they must have been dreadful. And with regard
to Anne's dislike of Bath, she considered it as
a prejudice and mistake arising, first, from the
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circumstance of her having been three years
at school there, after her mother's death ; and
secondly, from her happening to be not hi
perfectly good spirits the only winter which she
had afterwards spent there with herself.
Lady Russell was fond of Bath, in short, and
disposed to think it must suit them all ; and as
to her young friend's health, by passing all the
warm months with her at Kellynch Lodge, every
danger would be avoided ; and it was, in fact,
a change which must do both health and spirits
good. Anne had been too little from home,
too little seen. Her spirits were not high. A
larger society would improve them. She wanted
her to be more known.
The undesirableness of any other house in the
same neighbourhood for Sir Walter was certainly
much strengthened by one part, and a very
material part of the scheme, which had been
happily engrafted on the beginning. He was
not only to quit his home, but to see it in
the hands of others : a trial of fortitude which
stronger heads than Sir Walter's have found too
much. Kellynch Hall was to be let. This, how-
ever, was a profound secret, not to be breathed
beyond their own circle.
Sir Walter could not have borne the degrada-
tion of being known to design letting his house.
Mr. Shepherd had once mentioned the word
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'advertise/ but never dared approach it again.
Sir Walter spurned the idea of its being offered
in any manner ; forbade the slightest hint being
dropped of his having such an intention ; and
it was only on the supposition of his being
spontaneously solicited by some most unexcep-
tionable applicant, on his own terms, and as
a great favour, that he would let it at all.
How quick come the reasons for approving
what we like ! Lady Russell had another
excellent one at hand, for being extremely glad
that Sir Walter and his family were to remove
from the country. Elizabeth had been lately
forming an intimacy, which she wished to see
interrupted. It was with a daughter of Mr.
Shepherd, who had returned, after an unpro-
sperous marriage, to her father's house, with
the additional burden of two children. She
was a clever young woman, who understood the
art of pleasing the art of pleasing, at least, at
Kellynch Hall; and who had made herself so
acceptable to Miss Elliot, as to have been already
staying there more than once, in spite of all that
Lady Russell, who thought it a friendship quite
out of place, could hint of caution and reserve.
Lady Russell, indeed, had scarcely any in-
fluence with Elizabeth, and seemed to love her
rather because she would love her, than because
Elizabeth deserved it. She had never received
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from her more than outward attention, nothing
beyond the observances of complaisance ; had
never succeeded in any point which she wanted
to carry, against previous inclination. She had
been repeatedly very earnest in trying to get
Anne included in the visit to London, sensibly
open to all the injustice and all the discredit of
the selfish arrangements which shut her out, and
on many lesser occasions had endeavoured to
give Elizabeth the advantage of her own better
judgment and experience ; but always in vain :
Elizabeth would go her own way ; and never
had she pursued it in more decided opposition
to Lady Russell than in this selection of Mrs.
Clay : turning from the society of so deserving
a sister, to bestow her affection and confidence
on one who ought to have been nothing to her
but the object of distant civility.
From situation, Mrs. Clay was, in Lady
Russell's estimate, a very unequal, and in her
character, she believed, a very dangerous com-
panion ; and a removal that would leave Mrs.
Clay behind, and bring a choice of more suitable
intimates within Miss Elliot's reach, was there-
fore an object of first-rate importance.
10 B* 21
PERSUASION
CHAPTER III
4 1 MUST take leave to observe, Sir Walter,' said
Mr. Shepherd one morning at Kellynch Hall,
as he laid down the newspaper, ' that the present
juncture is much in our favour. This peace
will be turning all our rich naval officers ashore.
They will be all wanting a home. Could not be
a better time, Sir Walter, for having a choice
of tenants, very responsible tenants. Many a
noble fortune has been made during the war.
If a rich admiral were to come in our way,
Sir Walter-
6 He would be a very lucky man, Shepherd,'
replied Sir Walter ; ' that 's all I have to remark.
A prize, indeed, would Kellynch Hall be to
him ; rather the greatest prize of all, let him
have taken ever so many before ; hey, Shep-
herd?'
Mr. Shepherd laughed, as he knew he must,
at this wit, and then added
* I presume to observe, Sir Walter, that in
the way of business, gentlemen of the navy are
well to deal with. I have had a little know-
ledge of their methods of doing business ; and I
am free to confess that they have very liberal
notions, and are as likely to make desirable
22
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tenants as any set of people one should meet
with. Therefore, Sir Walter, what I would
take leave to suggest is, that if in consequence
of any rumours getting abroad of your intention ;
which must be contemplated as a possible thing,
because we know how difficult it is to keep the
actions and designs of one part of the world from
the notice and curiosity of the other ; conse-
quence has its tax; I, John Shepherd, might
conceal any family matters that I chose, for
nobody would think it worth their while to
observe me; but Sir Walter Elliot has eyes
upon him which it may be very difficult to
elude ; and, therefore, thus much I venture
upon, that it will not greatly surprise me if,
with all our caution, some rumour of the truth
should get abroad ; in the supposition of which,
as I was going to observe, since applications
will unquestionably follow, I should think any
from our wealthy naval commanders particularly
worth attending to ; and beg leave to add, that
two hours will bring me over at any time, to
save you the trouble of replying.'
Sir Walter only nodded. But soon after-
wards, rising and pacing the room, he observed
sarcastically
* There are few among the gentlemen of the
navy, I imagine, who would not be surprised
to find themselves in a house of this description.'
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* They would look around them, no doubt,
and bless their good fortune,' said Mrs. Clay,
for Mrs. Clay was present : her father had driven
her over, nothing being of so much use to
Mrs. Clay's health as a drive to Kellynch : ' but
I quite agree with my father in thinking a sailor
might be a very desirable tenant. I have known
a good deal of the profession ; and besides their
liberality, they are so neat and careful in all
their ways ! These valuable pictures of yours,
Sir Walter, if you chose to leave them, would
be perfectly safe. Everything in and about the
house would be taken such excellent care of!
The gardens and shrubberies would be kept in
almost as high order as they are now. You
need not be afraid, Miss Elliot, of your own
sweet flower-gardens being neglected.'
'As to all that,' rejoined Sir Walter coolly,
' supposing I were induced to let my house, I
have by no means made up my mind as to the
privileges to be annexed to it. I am not parti-
cularly disposed to favour a tenant. The park
would be open to him of course, and few navy
officers, or men of any other description, can
have had such a range ; but what restrictions I
might impose on the use of the pleasure-grounds
is another thing. I am not fond of the idea
of my shrubberies being always approachable;
and I should recommend Miss Elliot to be on
24,
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her guard with respect to her flower-garden.
I am very little disposed to grant a tenant of
Kellynch Hall any extraordinary favour, I assure
you, be he sailor or soldier.'
After a short pause, Mr. Shepherd presumed
to say
' In all these cases there are established usages
which make everything plain and easy between
landlord and tenant. Your interest, Sir Walter,
is in pretty safe hands. Depend upon me for
taking care that no tenant has more than his
just rights. I venture to hint, that Sir Walter
Elliot cannot be half so jealous for his own, as
John Shepherd will be for him.'
Here Anne spoke
' The navy, I think, who have done so much
for us, have at least an equal claim with any other
set of men, for all the comforts and all the privi-
leges which any home can give. Sailors work hard
enough for their comforts, we must all allow.'
'Very true, very true. What Miss Anne
says is very true,' was Mr. Shepherd's rejoinder,
and ( Oh ! certainly,' was his daughter's ; but
Sir Walter's remark was, soon afterwards
'The profession has its utility, but I should
be sorry to see any friend of mine belonging to it.'
' Indeed ! ' was the reply, and with a look of
surprise.
' Yes ; it is in two points offensive to me ;
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PERSUASION
I have two strong grounds of objection to it.
First, as being the means of bringing persons
of obscure birth into undue distinction, and
raising men to honours which their fathers and
grandfathers never dreamt of; and, secondly,
as it cuts up a man's youth and vigour most
horribly : a sailor grows old sooner than any
other man. I have observed it all my life. A
man is in greater danger in the navy of being
insulted by the rise of one whose father his
father might have disdained to speak to, and
of becoming prematurely an object of disgust
himself, than in any other line. One day
last spring, in town, I was in company with
two men, striking instances of what I am
talking of: Lord St. Ives, whose father we
all know to have been a country curate,
without bread to eat : I was to give place
to Lord St. Ives, and a certain Admiral Bald-
win, the most deplorable - looking personage
you can imagine ; his face the colour of maho-
gany, rough and rugged to the last degree, all
lines and wrinkles, nine grey hairs of a side,
and nothing but a dab of powder at top. " In
the name of heaven, who is that old fellow ? "
said I to a friend of mine who was standing
near (Sir Basil Morley). " Old feUow ! " cried
Sir Basil, "it is Admiral Baldwin. What do
you take his age to be ? " " Sixty," said I,
26
PERSUASION
"or perhaps sixty-two." "Forty," replied Sir
Basil, " forty, and no more." Picture to your-
selves my amazement : I shall not easily forget
Admiral Baldwin. I never saw quite so wretched
an example of what a seafaring life can do ; but
to a degree, I know it is the same with them
all : they are all knocked about, and exposed to
every climate, and every weather, till they are
not fit to be seen. It is a pity they are not_
knocked on the head at once, before they reach ( <*& :\
Admiral Baldwin's age.'
'Nay, Sir Walter,' cried Mrs. Clay, 'this is
being severe indeed. Have a little mercy on
the poor men. We are not all born to be
handsome. The sea is no beautifier, certainly ;
sailors do grow old betimes ; I have often ob-
served it; they soon lose the look of youth.
But then, is not it the same with many other
professions, perhaps most other? Soldiers, in
active service, are not at all better off; and even
in the quieter professions, there is a toil and a
labour of the mind, if not of the body, which
seldom leaves a man's looks to the natural
effect of time. The lawyer plods, quite care-
worn ; the physician is up at all hours, and
travelling in all weather ; and even the clergy-
man ' she stopt a moment to consider what
might do for the clergyman 'and even the
clergyman, you know, is obliged to go into
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PERSUASION
infected rooms, and expose his health and looks
to all the injury of a poisonous atmosphere.
In fact, as I have long been convinced, though
every profession is necessary and honourable in
its turn, it is only the lot of those who are not
obliged to follow any, who can live in a regular
way, in the country, chusing their own hours,
following their own pursuits, and living on their
own property, without the torment of trying
for more ; it is only their lot, I say, to hold the
blessings of health and a good appearance to the
utmost : I know no other set of men but what
lose something of their personableness when
they cease to be quite young.'
It seemed as if Mr. Shepherd, in this anxiety
to bespeak Sir Walter's goodwill towards a
naval officer as tenant, had been gifted with
foresight ; for the very first application for the
house was from an Admiral Croft, with whom
he shortly afterwards fell into company in
attending the quarter sessions at Taunton ; and,
indeed, he had received a hint of the Admiral
from a London correspondent. By the report
which he hastened over to Kellynch to make,
Admiral Croft was a native of Somersetshire,
who having acquired a very handsome fortune,
was wishing to settle in his own country, and
had come down to Taunton in order to look at
some advertised places in that immediate neigh-
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PERSUASION
bourhood, which, however, had not suited him ;
that accidentally hearing (it was just as he had
foretold, Mr. Shepherd observed, Sir Walter's
concerns could not be kept a secret) acci-
dentally hearing of the possibility of Kellynch
Hall being to let, and understanding his (Mr.
Shepherd's) connexion with the owner, he had
introduced himself to him in order to make
particular inquiries ; and had, in the course of a
pretty long conference, expressed as strong an
inclination for the place as a man who knew it
only by description could feel ; and given Mr.
Shepherd, in his explicit account of himself,
every proof of his being a most responsible,
eligible tenant.
' And who is Admiral Croft ? ' was Sir Walter's
cold, suspicious inquiry.
Mr. Shepherd answered for his being of a
gentleman's family, and mentioned a place ; and
Anne, after the little pause which followed,
added
* He is rear-admiral of the white. He was in
the Trafalgar action, and has been in the East
Indies since ; he has been stationed there, I
believe, several years.'
'Then I take it for granted,' observed Sir
Walter, * that his face is about as orange as the
cuffs and capes of my livery.'
Mr. Shepherd hastened to assure him that
29
PERSUASION
Admiral Croft was a very hale, hearty, well-
looking man, a little weather-beaten, to be sure,
but not much, and quite the gentleman in all
his notions and behaviour; not likely to make
the smallest difficulty about terms, only wanted
a comfortable home, and to get into it as soon
as possible ; knew he must pay for his conveni-
ence ; knew what rent a ready-furnished house
of that consequence might fetch ; should not
have been surprised if Sir Walter had asked
more ; had inquired about the manor ; would be
glad of the deputation, certainly, but made no
great point of it ; said he sometimes took out
a gun, but never killed ; quite the gentleman.
Mr. Shepherd was eloquent on the subject,
pointing out all the circumstances of the
Admiral's family, which made him peculiarly
desirable as a tenant. He was a married man,
and without children ; the very state to be
wished for. A house was never taken good
care of, Mr. Shepherd observed, without a lady :
he did not know whether furniture might not be
in danger of suffering as much where there was
no lady, as where there were many children. A
lady, without a family, was the very best pre-
server of furniture in the world. He had seen
Mrs. Croft too ; she was at Taunton with the
Admiral, and had been present almost all the
time they were talking the matter over.
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PERSUASION
* And a very well-spoken, genteel, shrewd
lady, she seemed to be,' continued he; "asked
more questions about the house, and terms, and
taxes, than the Admiral himself, and seemed
more conversant with business ; and, moreover,
Sir Walter, I found she was not quite uncon-
nected in this country, any more than her
husband ; that is to say, she is sister to a
gentleman who did live amongst us once ; she
told me so herself ; sister to the gentleman who
lived a few years back at Monkford. Bless me !
what was his name ? At this moment I cannot
recollect his name, though I have heard it so
lately. Penelope, my dear, can you help me
to the name of the gentleman who lived at
Monkford : Mrs. Croft's brother ? '
But Mrs. Clay was talking so eagerly with
Miss Elliot that she did not hear the appeal.
* I have no conception whom you can mean,
Shepherd ; I remember no gentleman resident
at Monkford since the time of old Governor
Trent.'
* Bless me ! how very odd ! I shall forget my
own name soon, I suppose. A name that I am
so very well acquainted with ; knew the gentle-
man so well by sight ; seen him a hundred times ;
came to consult me once, I remember, about a
trespass of one of his neighbours ; farmer's man
breaking into his orchard ; wall torn down ;
PERSUASION
apples stolen; caught in the fact: and after-
wards, contrary to my judgment, submitted to
an amicable compromise. Very odd, indeed ! '
After waiting another moment
* You mean Mr. Wentworth, I suppose ? '
said Anne.
Mr. Shepherd was all gratitude.
* Wentworth was the very name ! Mr. Went-
worth was the very man. He had the curacy
of Monkford, you know, Sir Walter, some time
back, for two or three years. Came there about
the year 5, I take it. You remember him,
I am sure.'
' Wentworth ? Oh ay ! Mr. Wentworth, the
curate of Monkford. You misled me by the
term gentleman. I thought you were speaking
of some man of property: Mr. Wentworth
was nobody, I remember : quite unconnected ;
nothing to do with the Strafford family. One
wonders how the names of many of our nobility
become so common.'
As Mr. Shepherd perceived that this connexion
of the Crofts did them no service with Sir
Walter, he mentioned it no more ; returning,
with all his zeal, to dwell on the circumstances
more indisputably in their favour : their age,
and number, and fortune; the high idea they
had formed of Kellynch Hall, and extreme
solicitude for the advantage of renting it;
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PERSUASION
making it appear as if they ranked nothing
beyond the happiness of being the tenants
of Sir Walter Elliot : an extraordinary taste,
certainly, could they have been supposed in
the secret of Sir Walter's estimate of the dues
of a tenant.
It succeeded, however ; and though Sir
Walter must ever look with an evil eye on
any one intending to inhabit that house, and
think them infinitely too well off in being per-
mitted to rent it on the highest terms, he was
talked into allowing Mr. Shepherd to proceed
in the treaty, and authorising him to wait on
Admiral Croft, who still remained at Taunton,
and fix a day for the house being seen.
Sir Walter was not very wise ; but still he
had experience enough of the world to feel, that
a more unobjectionable tenant, in all essentials,
than Admiral Croft bid fair to be, could hardly
offer. So far went his understanding ; and his
vanity supplied a little additional soothing, in
the Admiral's situation in life, which was just
high enough, and not too high. ' I have let my
house to Admiral Croft,' would sound extremely
well; very much better than to any mere
Mr. ; a Mr. (save, perhaps, some half-dozen
in the nation) always needs a note of explana-
tion. An admiral speaks his own consequence,
and, at the same time, can never make a baronet
10 c 33
PERSUASION
look small. In all their dealings and inter-
course, Sir Walter Elliot must ever have the
precedence.
Nothing could be done without a reference
to Elizabeth : but her inclination was growing
so strong for a removal, that she was happy to
have it fixed and expedited by a tenant at hand ;
and not a word to suspend decision was uttered
by her.
Mr. Shepherd was completely empowered to
act; and no sooner had such an end been reached,
than Anne, who had been a most attentive
listener to the whole, left the room, to seek the
comfort of cool air for her flushed cheeks ; and
as she walked along a favourite grove, said, with
a gentle sigh, 'A few months more, and he,
perhaps, may be walking here.'
CHAPTER IV
HE was not Mr. Wentworth, the former curate
of Monkford, however suspicious appearances
may be, but a Captain Frederick Wentworth,
his brother, who being made commander in con-
sequence of the action off St. Domingo, and not
immediately employed, had come into Somerset-
shire in the summer of 1806 ; and having no
34
PERSUASION
parent living, found a home for half a year at
Monkford. He was, at that time, a remarkably
fine young man, with a great deal of intelligence,
spirit, and brilliancy; and Anne an extremely
pretty girl, with gentleness, modesty, taste, and
feeling. Half the sum of attraction, on either
side, might have been enough, for he had nothing
to do, and she had hardly anybody to love ; but
the encounter of such lavish recommendations
could not fail. They were gradually acquainted,
and when acquainted, rapidly and deeply in love.
It would be difficult to say which had seen
highest perfection in the other, or which had
been the happiest: she, in receiving his de-
clarations and proposals, or he in having them
accepted.
A short period of exquisite felicity followed,
and but a short one. Troubles soon arose. Sir
Walter, on being applied to, without actually
withholding his consent, or saying it should
never be, gave it all the negative of great
astonishment, great coldness, great silence, and
a professed resolution of doing nothing for his
daughter. He thought it a very degrading
alliance ; and Lady Russell, though with more
tempered and pardonable pride, received it as a
most unfortunate one.
Anne Elliot, with all her claims of birth, beauty,
and mind, to throw herself away at nineteen
35
PERSUASION
involve herself at nineteen in an engagement
with a young man, who had nothing but himself
to recommend him, and no hopes of attaining
affluence but in the chances of a most uncertain
profession, and no connexions to secure even his
farther rise in that profession would be, indeed,
a throwing away, which she grieved to think
of ! Anne Elliot, so young ; known to so few,
to be snatched off by a stranger without alliance
or fortune ; or rather sunk by him into a state
of most wearing, anxious, youth-killing depend-
ence ! It must not be, if by any fair interfer-
ence of friendship, any representations from one
who had almost a mother's love and mother's
rights, it would be prevented.
Captain Wentworth had no fortune. He
had been lucky in his profession ; but spend-
ing freely what had come freely, had realised
nothing. But he was confident that he should
soon be rich : full of life and ardour, he knew
that he should soon have a ship, and soon be
on a station that would lead to everything he
wanted. He had always been lucky ; he knew
he should be so still. Such confidence, power-
ful in its own warmth, and bewitching in the
wit which often expressed it, must have been
enough for Anne ; but Lady Russell saw it very
differently. His sanguine temper, and fearless-
ness of mind, operated very differently on her.
36
PERSUASION
She saw in it but an aggravation of the evil.
It only added a dangerous character to himself.
He was brilliant, he was headstrong. Lady
Russell had little taste for wit, and of anything
approaching to imprudence a horror. She de-
precated the connexion in every light.
Such opposition, as these feelings produced,
was more than Anne could combat. Young
and gentle as she was, it might yet have been
possible to withstand her father's ill- will, though
unsoftened by one kind word or look on the
part of her sister ; but Lady Russell, whom she
had always loved and relied on, could not, with
such steadiness of opinion, and such tenderness
of manner, be continually advising her in vain.
She was persuaded to believe the engagement
a wrong thing indiscreet, improper, hardly
capable of success, and not deserving it. But it
was not a merely selfish caution, under which
she acted, hi putting an end to it. Had she not
imagined herself consulting his good, even more
than her own, she could hardly have given him
up. The belief of being prudent and self-deny-
ing, principally for his advantage, was her chief
consolation under the misery of a parting, a
final parting ; and every consolation was re-
quired, for she had to encounter all the addi-
tional pain of opinions, on his side, totally
unconvinced and unbending, and of his feeling
10 c* 37
PERSUASION
himself ill used by so forced a relinquishment.
He had left the country in consequence.
A few months had seen the beginning and
the end of their acquaintance; but not with a
few months ended Anne's share of suffering
from it. Her attachment and regrets had, for a
long time, clouded every enjoyment of youth,
and an early loss of bloom and spirits had been
their lasting effect.
More than seven years were gone since this
little history of sorrowful interest had reached
its close; and time had softened down much,
perhaps nearly all of peculiar attachment to
him, but she had been too dependent on time
alone : no aid had been given in change of place
(except in one visit to Bath soon after the
rupture), or in any novelty or enlargement of
society. No one had ever come within the
Kellynch circle, who could bear a comparison
with Frederick Wentworth, as he stood in her
memory. No second attachment, the only
thoroughly natural, happy, and sufficient cure,
at her time of life, had been possible to the nice
tone of her mind, the fastidiousness of her taste,
in the small limits of the society around them.
She had been solicited, when about two-and-
twenty, to change her name by the young man
who not long afterwards found a more willing
mind in her younger sister : and Lady Russell
38
PERSUASION
had lamented her refusal; for Charles Mus-
grove was the eldest son of a man whose landed
property and general importance were second in
that country only to Sir Walter's, and of good
character and appearance ; and however Lady
Russell might have asked yet for something
more while Anne was nineteen, she would have
rejoiced to see her at twenty-two so respectably
removed from the partialities and injustice of
her father's house, and settled so permanently
near herself. But in this case Anne had left
nothing for advice to do ; and though Lady
Russell, as satisfied as ever with her own dis-
cretion, never wished the past undone, she
began now to have the anxiety which borders
on hopelessness for Anne's being tempted, by
some man of talents and independence, to enter
a state for which she held her to be peculiarly
fitted by her warm affections and domestic
habits.
They knew not each other's opinion, either
its constancy or its change, on the one leading
point of Anne's conduct, for the subject was
never alluded to ; but Anne, at seven-and-
twenty, thought very differently from what she
had been made to think at nineteen. She did
not blame Lady Russell, she did not blame her-
self for having been guided by her ; but she felt
that were any young person in similar circum-
39
PERSUASION
stances to apply to her for counsel, they would
never receive any of such certain immediate
wretchedness, such uncertain future good. She
was persuaded, that under every disadvantage
of disapprobation at home, and every anxiety
attending his profession, all their probable fears,
delays, and disappointments, she should yet
have been a happier woman in maintaining the
engagement than she had been in the sacrifice
of it ; and this, she fully believed, had the usual
share, had even more than a usual share of all
such solicitudes and suspense been theirs, with-
out reference to the actual results of their case,
which, as it happened, would have bestowed
earlier prosperity than could be reasonably cal-
culated on. All his sanguine expectations, all
his confidence, had been justified. His genius
and ardour had seemed to foresee and to com-
mand his prosperous path. He had, very soon
after their engagement ceased, got employ : and
all that he had told her would follow had taken
_^> place. He had distinguished himself, and early
gained the other step in rank, and must now,
by successive captures, have made a handsome
fortune. She had only navy lists and news-
papers for her authority, but she could not
doubt his being rich ; and, in favour of his
constancy, she had no reason to believe him
married.
40
PERSUASION
How eloquent could Anne Elliot have been !
how eloquent, at least, were her wishes on the
side of early warm attachment, and a cheerful
confidence in futurity, against that over-anxious
caution which seems to insult exertion and
distrust Providence ! She had been forced into
prudence in her youth, she learned romance
as she grew older : the natural sequel of an
unnatural beginning.
With all these circumstances, recollections,
and feelings, she could not hear that Captain
Wentworth's sister was likely to live at Kellynch
without a revival of former pain ; and many
a stroll, and many a sigh, were necessary to
dispel the agitation of the idea. She often told
herself it was folly, before she could harden her
nerves sufficiently to feel the continual discus-
sion of the Crofts and their business no evil.
She was assisted, however, by that perfect in-
difference and apparent unconsciousness, among
the only three of her own friends in the secret
of the past, which seemed almost to deny any
recollection of it. She could do justice to the
superiority of Lady Russell's motives in this,
over those of her father and Elizabeth : she
could honour all the better feelings of her calm-
ness; but the general air of oblivion among
them was highly important from whatever it
sprung ; and in the event of Admiral Croft's
41
PERSUASION
really taking Kellynch Hall, she rejoiced anew
over the conviction which had always been most
grateful to her, of the past being known to those
three only among her connexions, by whom no
syllable, she believed, would ever be whispered,
and in the trust that among his, the brother
only with whom he had been residing had
received any information of their short-lived
engagement. That brother had been long
removed from the country, and being a sensible
man, and, moreover, a single man at the time,
she had a fond dependence on no human
creature's having heard of it from him.
The sister, Mrs. Croft, had then been out of
England, accompanying her husband on a foreign
station, and her own sister, Mary, had been at
school while it all occurred ; and never admitted
by the pride of some, and the delicacy of others,
to the smallest knowledge of it afterwards.
With these supports, she hoped that the
acquaintance between herself and the Crofts,
which, with Lady Russell, still resident in
Kellynch, and Mary fixed only three miles off,
must be anticipated, need not involve any
particular awkwardness.
42
PERSUASION
CHAPTER V
ON the morning appointed for Admiral and
Mrs. Croft's seeing Kellynch Hall, Anne found
it most natural to take her almost daily walk
to Lady Russell's, and keep out of the way till
all was over ; when she found it most natural
to be sorry that she had missed the opportunity
of seeing them.
This meeting of the two parties proved highly
satisfactory, and decided the whole business at
once. Each lady was previously well disposed
for an agreement, and saw nothing, therefore,
but good manners in the other ; and with regard
to the gentlemen, there was such an hearty good
humour, such an open, trusting liberality on
the Admiral's side, as could not but influence
Sir Walter, who had besides been flattered into
his very best and most polished behaviour by
Mr. Shepherd's assurances of his being known,
by report, to the Admiral, as a model of good-
breeding.
The house, and grounds, and furniture were
approved, the Crofts were approved, terms, time,
every thing, and every body, was right ; and
Mr. Shepherd's clerks were set to work without
there having been a single preliminary differ-
43
PERSUASION
ence to modify of all that ' This indenture
sheweth.'
Sir Walter, without hesitation, declared the
Admiral to be the best-looking sailor he had
ever met with, and went so far as to say, that
if his own man might have had the arranging
of his hair, he should not be ashamed of being
seen with him anywhere ; and the Admiral,
with sympathetic cordiality, observed to his
wife as they drove back through the park, e I
thought we should soon come to a deal, my
dear, in spite of what they told us at Taunton.
The Baronet will never set the Thames on fire,
but there seems no harm in him ' : reciprocal
compliments which would have been esteemed
about equal.
The Crofts were to have possession at Michael-
mas ; and as Sir Walter proposed removing to
Bath in the course of the preceding month,
there was no time to be lost in making every
dependent arrangement.
Lady Russell, convinced that Anne would
not be allowed to be of any use, or any import-
ance, in the choice of the house which they were
going to secure, was very unwilling to have her
hurried away so soon, and wanted to make it
possible for her to stay behind till she might
convey her to Bath herself after Christmas ; but
having engagements of her own which must take
44
PERSUASION
her from Kellynch for several weeks, she was
unable to give the full invitation she wished,
and Anne, though dreading the possible heats
of September in all the white glare of Bath,
and grieving to forego all the influence so sweet
and so sad of the autumnal months in the
country, did not think that, everything con-
sidered, she wished to remain. It would be
most right, and most wise, and therefore must
involve least suffering to go with the others.
Something occurred, however, to give her a
different duty. Mary, often a little unwell, and
always thinking a great deal of her own com-
plaints, and always in the habit of claiming
Anne when anything was the matter, was in-
disposed ; and foreseeing that she should not
have a day's health all the autumn, entreated,
or rather required her, for it was hardly entreaty,
to come to Uppercross Cottage, and bear her
company as long as she should want her, instead
of going to Bath.
* I cannot possibly do without Anne,' was
Mary's reasoning ; and Elizabeth's reply was,
'Then I am sure Anne had better stay, for
nobody will want her hi Bath.'
To be claimed as a good, though in an
improper style, is at least better than being
rejected as no good at all; and Anne, glad to
be thought of some use, glad to have anything
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PERSUASION
marked out as a duty, and certainly not sorry to
have the scene of it in the country, and her own
dear country, readily agreed to stay.
This invitation of Mary's removed all Lady
Russell's difficulties, and it was consequently
soon settled that Anne should not go to Bath
till Lady Russell took her, and that all the
intervening time should be divided between
Uppercross Cottage and Kellynch Lodge.
So far all was perfectly right ; but Lady
Russell was almost startled by the wrong of
one part of the Kellynch Hall plan, when it
burst on her, which was, Mrs. Clay's being
engaged to go to Bath with Sir Walter and
Elizabeth, as a most important and valuable
assistant to the latter in all the business before
her. Lady Russell was extremely sorry that
such a measure should have been resorted to at
all wondered, grieved, and feared ; and the
affront it contained to Anne, in Mrs. Clay's
being of so much use, while Anne could be
of none, was a very sore aggravation.
Anne herself was become hardened to such
affronts, but she felt the imprudence of the
arrangement quite as keenly as Lady Russell.
With a great deal of quiet observation, and a
knowledge, which she often wished less, of her
father's character, she was sensible that results
the most serious to his family from the intimacy
46
PERSUASION
were more than possible. She did not imagine
that her father had at present an idea of the
kind. Mrs. Clay had freckles, and a projecting
tooth, and a clumsy wrist, which he was con-
tinually making severe remarks upon in her
absence ; but she was young, and certainly
altogether well-looking, and possessed, in an
acute mind and assiduous pleasing manners,
infinitely more dangerous attractions than any
merely personal might have been. Anne was
so impressed by the degree of their danger, that
she could not excuse herself from trying to
make it perceptible to her sister. She had little
hope of success, but Elizabeth, who in the event
of such a reverse would be so much more to be
pitied than herself, should never, she thought,
have reason to reproach her for giving no
warning.
She spoke, and seemed only to offend. Eliza-
beth could not conceive how such an absurd
suspicion should occur to her, and indignantly
answered for each party's perfectly knowing
their situation.
6 Mrs. Clay,' said she warmly, * never forgets
who she is ; and as I am rather better acquainted
with her sentiments than you can be, I can
assure you, that upon the subject of marriage
they are particularly nice, and that she repro-
bates all inequality of condition and rank more
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strongly than most people. And as to my
father, I really should not have thought that
he, who has kept himself single so long for our
sakes, need be suspected now. If Mrs. Clay
were a very beautiful woman, I grant you it
might be wrong to have her so much with me ;
not that anything in the world, I am sure,
would induce my father to make a degrading
match, but he might be rendered unhappy. But
poor Mrs. Clay, who, with all her merits, can
never have been reckoned tolerably pretty, I
really think poor Mrs. Clay may be staying
here in perfect safety. One would imagine you
had never heard my father speak of her personal
misfortunes, though I know you must fifty
times. That tooth of hers and those freckles.
Freckles do not disgust me so very much as
they do him. I have known a face not materially
disfigured by a few, but he abominates them.
You must have heard him notice Mrs. Clay's
freckles.'
* There is hardly any personal defect,' replied
Anne, 'which an agreeable manner might not
gradually reconcile one to.'
6 1 think very differently,' answered Elizabeth
shortly; 'an agreeable manner may set off
handsome features, but can never alter plain
ones. However, at any rate, as I have a great
deal more at stake on this point than anybody
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else can have, I think it rather unnecessary in
you to be advising me.'
Anne had done; glad that it was over, and
not absolutely hopeless of doing good. Eliza-
beth, though resenting the suspicion, might yet
be made observant by it.
The last office of the four carriage- horses was
to draw Sir Walter, Miss Elliot, and Mrs. Clay
to Bath. The party drove off in very good
spirits; Sir Walter prepared with condescend-
ing bows for all the afflicted tenantry and
cottagers who might have had a hint to shew
themselves, and Anne walked up at the same
time in a sort of desolate tranquillity to the
Lodge, where she was to spend the first week.
Her friend was not in better spirits than
herself. Lady Russell felt this break-up of the
family exceedingly. Their respectability was as
dear to her as her own, and a daily intercourse
had become precious by habit. It was painful
to look upon their deserted grounds, and still
worse to anticipate the new hands they were to
fall into ; and to escape the solitariness and the
melancholy of so altered a village, and be out
of the way when Admiral and Mrs. Croft first
arrived, she had determined to make her own
absence from home begin when she must give
up Anne. Accordingly, their removal was made
together, and Anne was set down at Upper-
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cross Cottage in the first stage of Lady Russell's
journey.
Uppercross was a moderate - sized village,
which a few years back had been completely
in the old English style, containing only two
houses superior in appearance to those of the
yeomen and labourers: the mansion of the
squire, with its high walls, great gates, and old
trees, substantial and unmodernised, and the
compact, tight parsonage, enclosed in its own
neat garden, with a vine and a pear-tree trained
round its casements ; but upon the marriage of
the young 'squire, it had received the improve-
ment of a farmhouse, elevated into a cottage,
for his residence ; and Uppercross Cottage, with
its viranda, French windows, and other pretti-
nesses, was quite as likely to catch the traveller's
eye as the more consistent and considerable
aspect and premises of the Great House, about
a quarter of a mile farther on.
Here Anne had often been staying. She
knew the ways of Uppercross as well as those
of Kellynch. The two families were so con-
tinually meeting, so much in the habit of run-
ning in and out of each other's house at all
hours, that it was rather a surprise to her to
find Mary alone ; but being alone, her being
unwell and out of spirits was almost a matter
of course. Though better endowed than the
50
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elder sister, Mary had not Anne's under-
standing or temper. While well, and happy,
and properly attended to, she had great good-
humour and excellent spirits ; but any indis-
position sunk her completely. She had no
resources for solitude ; and inheriting a con-
siderable share of the Elliot self-importance, ^
was very prone to add to every other distress
that of fancying herself neglected and ill-used.
In person, she was inferior to both sisters,
and had, even in her bloom, only reached the
dignity of being 'a fine girl.' She was now
lying on the faded sofa of the pretty little
drawing-room, the once elegant furniture of
which had been gradually growing shabby
under the influence of four summers and two
children ; and, on Anne's appearing, greeted
her with
* So you are come at last ! I began to think
I should never see you. I am so ill I can
hardly speak. I have not seen a creature the
whole morning ! '
6 1 am sorry to find you unwell,' replied Anne.
* You sent me such a good account of yourself
on Thursday.'
* Yes, I made the best of it ; I always do : but
I was very far from well at the time ; and I do
not think I ever was so ill in my life as I have
been all this morning: very unfit to be left
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alone, I am sure. Suppose I were to be seized
of a sudden in some dreadful way, and not able
to ring the bell ! So Lady Russell would not
get out. I do not think she has been in this
house three times this summer.'
Anne said what was proper, and inquired
after her husband. ' Oh ! Charles is out shoot-
ing. I have not seen him since seven o'clock.
He would go, though I told him how ill I was.
He said he should not stay out long; but he
has never come back, and now it is almost one.
I assure you I have not seen a soul this whole
long morning.'
* You have had your little boys with you ? '
* Yes, as long as I could bear their noise ; but
they are so unmanageable that they do me more
harm than good. Little Charles does not mind
a word I say, and Walter is growing quite as
bad.'
* Well, you will soon be better now,' replied
Anne cheerfully. 'You know I always cure
you when I come. How are your neighbours
at the Great House ? '
' I can give you no account of them. I have
not seen one of them to-day, except Mr. Mus-
grove, who just stopped and spoke through the
window, but without getting off his horse ; and
though I told him how ill I was, not one of
them have been near me. It did not happen
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PERSUASION
to suit the Miss Musgroves, I suppose, and they
never put themselves out of their way. 5
'You will see them yet, perhaps, before the
morning is gone. It is early.'
'I never want them, I assure you. They
talk and laugh a great deal too much for me.
Oh ! Anne, I am so very unwell ! It was quite
unkind of you not to come on Thursday.'
* My dear Mary, recollect what a comfortable
account you sent me of yourself! You wrote
in the cheerfullest manner, and said you were
perfectly well, and in no hurry for me ; and that
being the case, you must be aware that my wish
would be to remain with Lady Russell to the
last : and besides what I felt on her account,
I have really been so busy, have had so much
to do, that I could not very conveniently have
left Kelly nch sooner.'
' Dear me ! what can you possibly have to
do?'
* A great many things, I assure you. More
than I can recollect in a moment ; but I can
tell you some. I have been making a duplicate
of the catalogue of my father's books and
pictures. I have been several times in the
garden with Mackenzie, trying to understand,
and make him understand, which of Elizabeth's
plants are for Lady Russell. I have had all my
own little concerns to arrange, books and music
10 D* 53
PERSUASION
to divide, and all my trunks to repack, from not
having understood in time what was intended
as to the waggons ; and one thing I have had
to do, Mary, of a more trying nature : going
to almost every house in the parish, as a sort
of take-leave. I was told that they wished
it; but all these things took up a great deal
of time.'
* Oh, well ! ' and after a moment's pause, ' but
you have never asked me one word about our
dinner at the Pooles yesterday.'
( Did you go, then ? I have made no in-
quiries, because I concluded you must have been
obliged to give up the party.'
' Oh yes 1 I went. I was very well yester-
day ; nothing at all the matter with me till this
morning. It would have been strange if I had
not gone.'
' I am very glad you were well enough, and I
hope you had a pleasant party.'
6 Nothing remarkable. One always knows
beforehand what the dinner will be, and who
will be there; and it is so very uncomfortable
not having a carriage of one's own. Mr. and
Mrs. Musgrove took me, and we were so
crowded ! They are both so very large, and take
up so much room ; and Mr. Musgrove always
sits forward. So there was I crowded into the
back seat with Henrietta and Louisa ; and I
54
PERSUASION
think it very likely that my illness to-day may
be owing to it.'
A little farther perseverance in patience and
forced cheerfulness on Anne's side produced
nearly a cure on Mary's. She could soon sit
upright on the sofa, and began to hope she
might be able to leave it by dinner-time. Then,
forgetting to think of it, she was at the other
end of the room, beautifying a nosegay; then
she ate her cold meat ; and then she was well
enough to propose a little walk.
' Where shall we go ? ' said she, when they
were ready. 'I suppose yo". will not like to
call at the Great House before they have been
to see you ? '
'I have not the smallest objection on that
account,' replied Anne. * I should never think
of standing on such ceremony with people I know
so well as Mrs. and the Miss Musgroves.'
* Oh ! but they ought to call upon you as
soon as possible. They ought to feel what is
due to you as my sister. However, we may
as well go and sit with them a little while, and
when we have got that over, we can enjoy our
walk.'
Anne had always thought such a style of
intercourse highly imprudent ; but she had
ceased to endeavour to check it, from believing
that, though there were on each side continual
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PERSUASION
subjects of offence, neither family could now do
without it. To the Great House accordingly
they went, to sit the full half-hour in the old-
fashioned square parlour, with a small carpet
and shining floor, to which the present daughters
of the house were gradually giving the proper
air of confusion by a grand pianoforte and a
harp, flower-stands, and little tables placed in
every direction. Oh ! could the originals of the
portraits against the wainscot, could the gentle-
men in brown velvet and the ladies in blue satin
have seen what was going on, have been conscious
of such an overthrow of all order and neatness !
The portraits themselves seemed to be staring
in astonishment.
The Musgroves, like their houses, were in a
state of alteration, perhaps of improvement.
The father and mother were in the old English
style, and the young people in the new. Mr.
and Mrs. Musgrove were a very good sort
of people ; friendly and hospitable, not much
educated, and not at all elegant. Their children
had more modern minds and manners. There
was a numerous family ; but the only two
grown up, excepting Charles, were Henrietta
and Louisa, young ladies of nineteen and twenty,
who had brought from a school at Exeter all
the usual stock of accomplishments, and were
now, like thousands of other young ladies, living
56
PERSUASION
to be fashionable, happy, and merry. Their
dress had every advantage, their faces were
rather pretty, their spirits extremely good, their
manners unembarrassed and pleasant ; they were
of consequence at home, and favourites abroad.
Anne always contemplated them as some of the
happiest creatures of her acquaintance: but still,
saved as we all are by some comfortable feeling
of superiority from wishing for the possibility
of exchange, she would not have given up her
own more elegant and cultivated mind for
their enjoyments ; and envied them nothing but
that seemingly perfect good understanding and
agreement together, that good-humoured mutual
affection, of which she had known so little her-
self with either of her sisters.
They were received with great cordiality.
Nothing seemed amiss on the side of the Great
House family, which was generally, as Anne
very well knew, the least to blame. The half-
hour was chatted away pleasantly enough ; and
she was not at all surprised, at the end of it,
to have their walking party joined by both the
Miss Musgroves, at Mary's particular invitation.
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CHAPTER VI
ANNE had not wanted this visit to Uppercross
to learn that a removal from one set of people
to another, though at a distance of only three
miles, will often include a total change of con-
versation, opinion, and idea. She had never
been staying there before, without being struck
by it, or without wishing that other Elliots
could have her advantage in seeing how un-
known, or unconsidered there, were the affairs
which at Kellynch Hall were treated as of such
general publicity and pervading interest ; yet,
with all this experience^ she believed she must
now submit to feel that another lesson, in the
> art of knowing our own nothingness beyond our
own circle, was become necessary for her; for
certainly, coming as she did, with a heart full of
the subject which had been completely occupy-
ing both houses in Kellynch for many weeks,
she had expected rather more curiosity and
sympathy than she found in the separate, but
very similar remark of Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove :
* So, Miss Anne, Sir Walter and your sister are
gone ; and what part of Bath do you think they
will settle in ? ' and this, without much waiting
for an answer ; or in the young ladies' addition
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PERSUASION
of, ' I hope we shall be in Bath in the winter ;
but remember, papa, if we do go, we must be in
a good situation : none of your Queen Squares
for us ! ' or in the anxious supplement from Mary
of, ' Upon my word, I shall be pretty well off,
when you are all gone away to be happy at
Bath ! '
She could only resolve to avoid such self-
delusion hi future, and think with heightened
gratitude of the extraordinary blessing of having
one such truly sympathising friend as Lady
Russell.
The Mr. Musgroves had their own game to
guard and to destroy, their own horses, dogs,
and newspapers to engage them, and the females
were fully occupied in all the other common
subjects of housekeeping, neighbours, dress,
dancing, and music. She acknowledged it to be
very fitting, that every little social common-
wealth should dictate its own matters of dis-
course ; and hoped, ere long, to become a not
unworthy member of the one she was now
transplanted into. With the prospect of spend-
ing at least two months at Uppercross, it was
highly incumbent on her to clothe her imagina-
tion, her memory, and all her ideas in as much
of Uppercross as possible.
She had no dread of these two months.
Mary was not so repulsive and unsisterly as
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PERSUASION
Elizabeth, nor so inaccessible to all influence of
hers; neither was there anything among the
other component parts of the cottage inimical
to comfort. She was always on friendly terms
with her brother-in-law; and in the children,
who loved her nearly as well, and respected her
a great deal more than their mother, she had an
object of interest, amusement, and wholesome
exertion.
Charles Musgrove was civil and agreeable ; in
sense and temper he was undoubtedly superior
to his wife, but not of powers, or conversation,
or grace to make the past, as they were con-
nected together, at all a dangerous contempla-
tion; though, at the same time, Anne could
believe, with Lady Russell, that a more equal
match might have greatly improved him ; and
that a woman of real understanding might have
given more consequence to his character, and
more usefulness, rationality, and elegance to his
habits and pursuits. As it was, he did nothing
with much zeal, but sport; and his time was
otherwise trifled away, without benefit from
books or anything else. He had very good
spirits, which never seemed much affected by
his wife's occasional lowness, bore with her un-
reasonableness sometimes to Anne's admiration,
and upon the whole, though there was very
often a little disagreement (in which she had
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sometimes more share than she wished, being
appealed to by both parties), they might pass
for a happy couple. They were always perfectly
agreed in the want of more money, and a strong
inclination for a handsome present from his
father ; but here, as on most topics, he had the
superiority, for while Mary thought it a great
shame that such a present was not made, he
always contended for his father's having many
other uses for his money, and a right to spend it
as he liked.
As to the management of their children, his
theory was much better than his wife's, and his
practice not so bad. 'I could manage them
very well, if it were not for Mary's interference,'
was what Anne often heard him say, and had
a good deal of faith in ; but when listening in
turn to Mary's reproach of, * Charles spoils the
children so that I cannot get them into any
order,' she never had the smallest temptation to
say, * Very true.'
One of the least agreeable circumstances of
her residence there was her being treated with
too much confidence by all parties, and being
too much hi the secret of the complaints of each
house. Known to have some influence with
her sister, she was continually requested, or at
least receiving hints to exert it, beyond what
was practicable. 'I wish you could persuade
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PERSUASION
Mary not to be always fancying herself ill,' was
Charles's language ; and, in an unhappy mood,
thus spoke Mary : ' I do believe if Charles were
to see me dying, he would not think there was
anything the matter with me. I am sure,
Anne, if you would, you might persuade him
that I really am very ill a great deal worse
than I ever own.'
Mary's declaration was, 'I hate sending the
children to the Great House, though their
grandmama is always wanting to see them, for
she humours and indulges them to such a
degree, and gives them so much trash and
sweet things, that they are sure to come back
sick and cross for the rest of the day.' And
Mrs. Musgrove took the first opportunity of
being alone with Anne, to say, * Oh ! Miss
Anne, I cannot help wishing Mrs. Charles had
a little of your method with those children.
They are quite different creatures with you!
But to be sure, in general, they are so spoilt!
It is a pity you cannot put your sister in the
way of managing them. They are as fine
healthy children as ever were seen, poor little
dears ! without partiality ; but Mrs. Charles
knows no more how they should be treated !
Bless me ! how troublesome they are sometimes.
I assure you, Miss Anne, it prevents my wish-
ing to see them at our house so often as I other-
62
^
\
PERSUASION
wise should. I believe Mrs. Charles is not quite
pleased with my not inviting them oftener ; but
you know it is very bad to have children with
one that one is obliged to be checking every
moment, "don't do this," and "don't do that";
or that one can only keep in tolerable order by
more cake than is good for them.'
She had this communication, moreover, from
Mary. * Mrs. Musgrove thinks all her servants
so steady, that it would be high treason to call
it in question ; but I am sure, without exaggera-
tion, that her upper housemaid and laundry-
maid, instead of being in their business, are
gadding about the village all day long. I meet
them wherever I go ; and I declare I never go
twice into my nursery without seeing something
of them. If Jemima were not the trustiest,
steadiest creature in the world, it would be
enough to spoil her ; for she tells me they are
always tempting her to take a walk with them.'
And on Mrs. Musgrove's side it was, * I make a
rule of never interfering in any of my daughter-
in-law's concerns, for I know it would not do ;
but I shall tell you, Miss Anne, because you
may be able to set things to rights, that I have
no very good opinion of Mrs. Charles's nursery-
k maid : I hear strange stories of her ; she is
always upon the gad ; and from my own know-
ledge, I can declare, she is such a fine-dressing
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lady, that she is enough to ruin any servants
she comes near. Mrs. Charles quite swears by
her, I know ; but I just give you this hint, that
you may be upon the watch ; because, if you
see anything amiss, you need not be afraid of
mentioning it.'
Again, it was Mary's complaint that Mrs.
Musgrove was very apt not to give her the
precedence that was her due, when they dined
at the Great House with other families ; and she
did not see any reason why she was to be con-
sidered so much at home as to lose her place.
And one day, when Anne was walking with only
the Miss Musgroves, one of them, after talking
of rank, people of rank, and jealousy of rank,
said, * I have no scruple of observing to you,
how nonsensical some persons are about their
place, because all the world knows how easy
and indifferent you are about it ; but I wish
anybody would give Mary a hint that it would
be a great deal better if she were not so very
tenacious, especially if she would not be always
putting herself forward to take place of mama. /
Nobody doubts her right to have precedence of
mama, but it would be more becoming hi her
not to be always insisting on it. It is not that
mama cares about it the least in the world,
but I know it is taken notice of by many
persons.'
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PERSUASION
How was Anne to set all these matters to
rights ? She could do little more than listen
patiently, soften every grievance, and excuse
each to the other; give them all hints of the
forbearance necessary between such near neigh-
bours, and make those hints broadest which
were meant for her sister's benefit.
In all other respects, her visit began and
proceeded very well. Her own spirits improved
by change of place and subject by being re-
moved three miles from Kellynch ; Mary's
ailments lessened by having a constant com-
panion, and their daily intercourse with the
other family, since there was neither superior
affection, confidence, nor employment in the
cottage to be interrupted by it, was rather an
advantage. It was certainly carried nearly as
far as possible, for they met every morning, and
hardly ever spent an evening asunder ; but she
believed they should not have done so well
without the sight of Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove's
respectable forms in the usual places, or without
the talking, laughing, and singing of their
daughters.
She played a great deal better than either of
the Miss Musgroves, but having no voice, no
knowledge of the harp, and no fond parents, to
sit by and fancy themselves delighted, her
performance was little thought of, only out of
10 E 65
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civility, or to refresh the others, as she was well
aware. She knew that when she played she
was giving pleasure only to herself; but this
was no new sensation. Excepting one short
period of her life, she had never, since the age
of fourteen, never since the loss of her dear
mother, known the happiness of being listened
to, or encouraged by any just appreciation
or real taste. In music she had been always
used to feel alone in the world ; and Mr. and
Mrs. Musgrove's fond partiality for their own
daughters' performance, and total indifference
to any other person's, gave her much more
pleasure for their sakes than mortification for
her own.
The party at the Great House was sometimes
increased by other company. The neighbour-
hood was not large, but the Musgroves were
visited by everybody, and had more dinner-
parties, and more callers, more visitors by in-
vitation and by chance, than any other family.
They were more completely popular.
The girls were wild for dancing; and the even-
ings ended, occasionally, in an unpremeditated
little ball. There was a family of cousins within
a walk of Uppercross, in less affluent circum-
stances, who depended on the Musgroves for all
their pleasures : they would come at any time,
or help to play at anything, or dance anywhere ;
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PERSUASION
and Anne, very much preferring the office of
musician to a more active post, played country
dances to them by the hour together : a kindness
which always recommended her musical powers
to the notice of Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove more
than anything else, and often drew this com-
pliment 'Well done, Miss Anne! very well
done, indeed ! Lord bless me ! how those little
fingers of yours fly about ! '
So passed the first three weeks. Michaelmas
came; and now Anne's heart must be in Kellynch
again. A beloved home made over to others ;
all the precious rooms and furniture, groves and
prospects, beginning to own other eyes and other
limbs ! She could not think of much else on
the 29th of September ; and she had this sym-
pathetic touch in the evening from Mary, who,
on having occasion to note down the day of
the month, exclaimed, 'Dear me, is not this
the day the Crofts were to come to Kellynch?
I am glad I did not think of it before. How
low it makes me ! '
The Crofts took possession with true naval
alertness, and were to be visited. Mary deplored
the necessity for herself. 'Nobody knew how
much she should suffer. She should put it off as
long as she could'; but was not easy till she had
talked Charles into driving her over on an early
day, and was in a very animated, comfortable
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state of imaginary agitation when she came back.
Anne had very sincerely rejoiced in there being
no means of her going. She wished, however,
to see the Crofts, and was glad to be within
when the visit was returned. They came : the
master of the house was not at home, but the
two sisters were together ; and as it chanced
that Mrs. Croft fell to the share of Anne, while
the Admiral sat by Mary, and made himself very
agreeable by his good-humoured notice of her
little boys, she was well able to watch for a like-
ness, and if it failed her in the features, to catch
it in the voice, or in the turn of sentiment and
expression.
Mrs, Croft, though neither tall nor fat, had
a squareness, uprightness, and vigour of form,
which gave importance to her person. She
had bright dark eyes, good teeth, and altogether
an agreeable face; though her reddened and
weather-beaten complexion, the consequence of
her having been almost as much at sea as her
husband, made her seem to have lived some
years longer in the world than her real eight-
and-thirty. Her manners were open, easy, and
decided, like one who had no distrust of herself,
and no doubts of what to do ; without any
approach to coarseness, however, or any want
of good humour. Anne gave her credit, indeed,
for feelings of great consideration towards herself,
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in all that related to Kellynch, and it pleased
her: especially, as she had satisfied herself in
the very first half-minute, in the instant even
of introduction, that there was not the smallest
symptom of any knowledge or suspicion on
Mrs. Croft's side to give a bias of any sort.
She was quite easy on that head, and con-
sequently full of strength and courage, till for
a moment electrified by Mrs. Croft's suddenly
saying
6 It was you, and not your sister, I find, that
my brother had the pleasure of being acquainted
with, when he was in this country.'
Anne hoped she had outlived the age of
blushing ; but the age of emotion she certainly
had not.
* Perhaps you may not have heard that he is
married ? ' added Mrs. Croft.
She could now answer as she ought ; and was
happy to feel, when Mrs. Croft's next words
explained it to be Mr. Wentworth of whom she
spoke, that she had said nothing which might
not do for either brother. She immediately felt
how reasonable it was that Mrs. Croft should
be thinking and speaking of Edward, and not
of Frederick; and with shame at her own forget-
fulness, applied herself to the knowledge of their
former neighbour's present state with proper
interest.
10 E* 69
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The rest was all tranquillity ; till, just as they
were moving, she heard the Admiral say to
Mary
' We are expecting a brother of Mrs. Croft's
here soon ; I dare say you know him by
name ? '
He was cut short by the eager attacks of the
little boys, clinging to him like an old friend,
and declaring he should not go ; and being too
much engrossed by proposals of carrying them
away in his coat pocket, etc., to have another
moment for finishing or recollecting what he
had begun, Anne was left to persuade herself,
as well as she could, that the same brother must
still be in question. She could not, however,
reach such a degree of certainty as not to be
anxious to hear whether anything had been said
on the subject at the other house, where the
Crofts had previously been calling.
The folks of Great House were to spend the
evening of this day at the Cottage ; and it being
now too late in the year for such visits to be
made on foot, the coach was beginning to
be listened for, when the youngest Miss Mus-
grove walked in. That she was coming to
apologise, and that they should have to spend
the evening by themselves, was the first black
idea ; and Mary was quite ready to be affronted,
when Louisa made all right by saying, that she
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only came on foot, to leave more room for the
harp, which was bringing in the carriage.
'And I will tell you our reason,' she added,
* and all about it. I am come on to give you
notice that papa and mama are out of spirits
this evening, especially mama; she is thinking
so much of poor Richard ! And we agreed it
would be best to have the harp, for it seems
to amuse her more than the pianoforte. I will
tell you why she is out of spirits. When the
Crofts called this morning (they called here
afterwards, did not they?), they happened to
say that her brother, Captain Wentworth, is
just returned to England, or paid off, or some-
thing, and is coming to see them almost directly ;
and most unluckily it came into mama's head,
when they were gone, that Wentworth, or some-
thing very like it, was the name of poor Richard's
captain, at one time ; I do not know when or
where, but a great while before he died, poor
fellow ! And upon looking over his letters and
things, she found it was so, and is perfectly sure
that this must be the very man, and her head is
quite full of it, and of poor Richard ! So we
must all be as merry as we can, that she may
not be dwelling upon such gloomy things.'
The real circumstances of this pathetic piece
of family history were, that the Musgroves had
had the ill fortune of a very troublesome, hope-
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less son, and the good fortune to lose him before
he reached his twentieth year ; that he had been
sent to sea because he was stupid and unmanage-
able on shore ; that he had been very little cared
for at any time by his family, though quite as
much as he deserved ; seldom heard of, and
scarcely at all regretted, when the intelligence
of his death abroad had worked its way to
Uppercross, two years before.
He had, in fact, though his sisters were now
doing all they could for him, by calling him
' poor Richard,' been nothing better than a thick-
headed, unfeeling, unprofitable Dick Musgrove,
who had never done anything to entitle himself
to more than the abbreviation of his name, living
or dead.
He had been several years at sea, and had, in
the course of those removals to which all mid-
shipmen are liable, and especially such midship-
men as every captain wishes to get rid of,
been six months on board Captain Frederick
Wentworth's frigate, the Laconia ; and from
the Laconia he had, under the influence of his
captain, written the only two letters which his
father and mother had ever received from him
during the whole of his absence ; that is to say,
the only two disinterested letters : all the rest
had been mere applications for money.
In each letter he had spoken well of his
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captain ; but yet, so little were they in the
habit of attending to such matters, so unobser-
vant and incurious were they as to the names
of men or ships, that it had made scarcely any
impression at the time ; and that Mrs. Musgrove
should have been suddenly struck, this very day,
with a recollection of the name of Wentworth,
as connected with her son, seemed one of those
extraordinary bursts of mind which do sometimes
occur.
She had gone to her letters, and found it all
as she supposed ; and the re-perusal of these
letters, after so long an interval, her poor son
gone for ever, and all the strength of his faults
forgotten, had affected her spirits exceedingly,
and thrown her into greater grief for him than
she had known on first hearing of his death.
Mr. Musgrove was, in a lesser degree, affected
likewise; and when they reached the cottage,
they were evidently in want, first, of being
listened to anew on this subject, and afterwards,
of all the relief which cheerful companions could
give.
To hear them talking so much of Captain
Wentworth, repeating his name so often, puzz-
ling over past years, and at last ascertaining that
it might, that it probably would, turn out to be
the very same Captain Wentworth whom they
recollected meeting, once or twice, after their
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coming back from Clifton a very fine young
man ; but they could not say whether it was
seven or eight years ago was a new sort of
trial to Anne's nerves. She found, however,
that it was one to which she must inure herself.
Since he actually was expected in the country,
she must teach herself to be insensible on such
points. And not only did it appear that he was
expected, and speedily, but the Musgroves, in
their warm gratitude for the kindness he had
shewn poor Dick, and very high respect for his
character, stamped as it was by poor Dick's
having been six months under his care, and
mentioning him in strong, though not perfectly
well-spelt praise, as ' a fine dashing felow, only
too perticular about the schoolmaster,' were
bent on introducing themselves, and seeking
his acquaintance as soon as they could hear of
his arrival.
The resolution of doing so helped to form the
comfort of their evening.
CHAPTER VII
A VERY few days more, and Captain Wentworth
was known to be at Kellynch, and Mr. Musgrove
had called on him, and come back warm in his
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praise, and he was engaged with the Crofts to
dine at Uppercross by the end of another week.
It had been a great disappointment to Mr. Mus-
grove to find that no earlier day could be fixed,
so impatient was he to shew his gratitude, by
seeing Captain Wentworth under his own roof,
and welcoming him to all that was strongest
and best in his cellars. But a week must pass ;
only a week, in Anne's reckoning, and then she
supposed they must meet ; and soon she began
to wish that she could feel secure even for a
week.
Captain Wentworth made a very early return
to Mr. Musgrove's civility, and she was all but
calling there in the same half-hour. She and
Mary were actually setting forward for the
Great House, where, as she afterwards learnt,
they must inevitably have found him, when
they were stopped by the eldest boy's being at
that moment brought home in consequence of
a bad fall. The child's situation put the visit
entirely aside ; but she could not hear of her
escape with indifference, even in the midst of
the serious anxiety which they afterwards felt
on his account.
His collar-bone was found to be dislocated,
and such injury received in the back, as roused
the most alarming ideas. It was an afternoon
of distress, and Anne had everything to do at
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once: the apothecary to send for, the father
to have pursued and informed, the mother to
support and keep from hysterics, the servants
to control, the youngest child to banish, and
the poor suffering one to attend and soothe ;
besides sending, as soon as she recollected it,
proper notice to the other house, which
brought her an accession rather of frightened,
inquiring companions than of very useful
assistants.
Her brother's return was the first comfort :
he could take best care of his wife; and the
second blessing was the arrival of the apothecary.
Till he came and had examined the child, their
apprehensions were the worse for being vague :
they suspected great injury, but knew not where;
but now the collar-bone was soon replaced, and
though Mr. Robinson felt and felt, and rubbed,
and looked grave, and spoke low words both to
the father and the aunt, still they were all to
hope the best, and to be able to part and eat
their dinner in tolerable ease of mind ; and then
it was, just before they parted, that the two
young aunts were able so far to digress from
their nephew's state as to give the information
of Captain Wentworth's visit ; staying five
minutes behind their father and mother to
endeavour to express how perfectly delighted
they were with him, how much handsomer,
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how infinitely more agreeable they thought him
than any individual among their male acquaint-
ance, who had been at all a favourite before.
How glad they had been to hear papa invite
him to stay dinner, how sorry when he said it
was quite out of his power, and how glad again
when he had promised to reply to papa and
mama's farther pressing invitations to come and
dine with them on the morrow actually on the
morrow ; and he had promised it in so pleasant
a manner, as if he felt all the motive of their
attention just as he ought. And, in short,
he had looked and said everything with such
exquisite grace, that they could assure them all,
their heads were both turned by him ; and off
they ran, quite as full of glee as of love, and
apparently more full of Captain Wentworth
than of little Charles.
The same story and the same raptures were
repeated, when the two girls came with their
father, through the gloom of the evening, to
make inquiries; and Mr. Musgrove, no longer
under the first uneasiness about his heir, could
add his confirmation and praise, and hope there
would be now no occasion for putting Captain
Wentworth off, and only be sorry to think that
the Cottage party, probably, would not like to
leave the little boy, to give him the meeting.
* Oh 1 no ; as to leaving the little boy,' both
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father and mother were in much too strong and
recent alarm to bear the thought ; and Anne,
in the joy of the escape, could not help adding
her warm protestations to theirs.
Charles Musgrove, indeed, afterwards shewed
more of inclination : ' the child was going on so
well, and he wished so much to be introduced
to Captain Wentworth, that perhaps he might
join them in the evening; he would not dine
from home, but he might walk in for half an
hour.' But in this he was eagerly opposed by
his wife, with * Oh ! no indeed, Charles, I can-
not bear to have you go away. Only think,
if anything should happen ? '
The child had a good night, and was going on
well the next day. It must be a work of time
to ascertain that no injury had been done to
the spine ; but Mr. Robinson found nothing to
increase alarm, and Charles Musgrove began,
consequently, to feel no necessity for longer
confinement. The child was to be kept in bed
and amused as quietly as possible; but what
was there for a father to do ? This was quite a
female case, and it would be highly absurd in
him, who could be of no use at home, to shut
himself up. His father very much wished him
to meet Captain Wentworth, and there being no
sufficient reason against it, he ought to go ; and
it ended in his making a bold, public declara-
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tion, when he came in from shooting, of his
meaning to dress directly, and dine at the other
house.
* Nothing can be going on better than the
child,' said he; 'so I told my father, just now,
that I would come, and he thought me quite
right. Your sister being with you, my love, I
have no scruple at all. You would not like to
leave him yourself, but you see I can be of no
use. Anne will send for me if anything is the
matter.'
Husbands and wives generally understand
when opposition will be vain. Mary knew,
from Charles's manner of speaking, that he was
quite determined on going, and that it would be
of no use to tease him. She said nothing, there-
fore, till he was out of the room ; but as soon as
there was only Anne to hear
' So you and I are to be left to shift by our-
selves, with this poor sick child ; and not a
creature coming near us all the evening! I
knew how it would be. This is always my
luck. If there is anything disagreeable going
on, men are always sure to get out of it, and
Charles is as bad as any of them. Very un-
feeling ! I must say it is very unfeeling of him
to be running away from his poor little boy.
Talks of his being going on so well 1 how does
he know that he is going on well, or that there
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may not be a sudden change half an hour hence ?
I did not think Charles would have been so
unfeeling. So here he is to go away and enjoy
himself, and because I am the poor mother, I
am not to be allowed to stir ; and yet, I am
sure, I am more unfit than anybody else to be
about the child. My being the mother is the
very reason why my feelings should not be tried.
I am not at all equal to it. You saw how
hysterical I was yesterday.'
* But that was only the effect of the sudden-
ness of your alarm of the shock. You will
not be hysterical again. I dare say we shall
have nothing to distress us. I perfectly under-
stand Mr. Robinson's directions, and have no
fears ; and indeed, Mary, I cannot wonder at
your husband. Nursing does not belong to a
man ; it is not his province. A sick child is
always the mother's property : her own feelings
generally make it so.'
* I hope I am as fond of my child as any
mother, but I do not know that I am of any
more use in the sickroom than Charles, for I
cannot be always scolding and teasing a poor
child when it is ill ; and you saw, this morning,
that if I told him to keep quiet, he was sure to
begin kicking about. I have not nerves for the
sort of thing.'
'But could you be comfortable yourself, to
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be spending the whole evening away from the
poor boy ? '
' Yes ; you see his papa can, and why should
not I ? Jemima is so careful ; and she could
send us word every hour how he was. I really
think Charles might as well have told his father
we would all come. I am not more alarmed
about little Charles now than he is. I was
dreadfully alarmed yesterday, but the case is
very different to-day.'
* Well, if you do not think it too late to give
notice for yourself, suppose you were to go, as
well as your husband. Leave little Charles to
my care. Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove cannot think
it wrong while I remain with him.'
' Are you serious ? ' cried Mary, her eyes
brightening. 'Dear me! that's a very good
thought, very good indeed. To be sure, I may
just as well go as not, for I am of no use at
home am I ? and it only harasses me. You,
who have not a mother's feelings, are a great
deal the properest person. You can make little
Charles do anything ; he always minds you at a
word. It will be a great deal better than leav-
ing him with only Jemima. Oh ! I will certainly
go ; I am sure I ought if I can, quite as much
as Charles, for they want me excessively to
be acquainted with Captain Wentworth, and I
know you do not mind being left alone. An
10 v 81
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excellent thought of yours, indeed, Anne. I
will go and tell Charles, and get ready directly.
You can send for us, you know, at a moment's
notice, if anything is the matter ; but I dare say
there will be nothing to alarm you. I should
not go, you may be sure, if I did not feel quite
at ease about my dear child.'
The next moment she was tapping at her
husband's dressing-room door, and as Anne
followed her upstairs, she was in time for the
whole conversation, which began with Mary's
saying, in a tone of great exultation
* I mean to go with you, Charles, for I am of
no more use at home than you are. If I were
to shut myself up for ever with the child, I
should not be able to persuade him to do any-
thing he did not like. Anne will stay ; Anne
undertakes to stay at home and take care of
him. It is Anne's own proposal, and so I shall
go with you, which will be a great deal better,
for I have not dined at the other house since
Tuesday.'
' This is very kind of Anne,' was her husband's
answer, ' and I should be very glad to have you
go ; but it seems rather hard that she should be
left at home by herself, to nurse our sick child.'
Anne was now at hand to take up her own
cause, and the sincerity of her manner being
soon sufficient to convince him, where convic-
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tion was at least very agreeable, he had no
farther scruples as to her being left to dine
alone, though he still wanted her to join them
in the evening, when the child might be at rest
for the night, and kindly urged her to let him
come and fetch her, but she was quite unper-<^
suadable; and this being the case, she had ere
long the pleasure of seeing them set off together
in high spirits. They were gone, she hoped, to
be happy, however oddly constructed such hap-
piness might seem ; as for herself, she was left
with as many sensations of comfort, as were,
perhaps, ever likely to be hers. She knew
herself to be of the first utility to the child ;
and what was it to her if Frederick Wentworth
were only half a mile distant, making himself
agreeable to others ?
She would have liked to know how he felt as
to a meeting. Perhaps indifferent, if indiffer-
ence could exist under such circumstances. He
must be either indifferent or unwilling. Had
he wished ever to see her again, he need not
have waited till this time ; he would have done
what she could not but believe that in his place
she should have done long ago, when events
had been early giving him the independence
which alone had been wanting.
Her brother and sister came back delighted
with their new acquaintance, and their visit in
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general. There had been music, singing, talk-
ing, laughing, all that was most agreeable ;
charming manners in Captain Wentworth, no
shyness or reserve; they seemed all to know
each other perfectly, and he was coming the
very next morning to shoot with Charles. He
was to come to breakfast, but not at the Cottage,
though that had been proposed at first; but
then he had been pressed to come to the Great
House instead, and he seemed afraid of being
in Mrs. Charles Musgrove's way, on account of
the child, and therefore, somehow, they hardly
knew how, it ended in Charles's being to meet
him to breakfast at his father's.
Anne understood it. He wished to avoid
seeing her. He had inquired after her, she
found, slightly, as might suit a former slight
acquaintance, seeming to acknowledge such as
she had acknowledged, actuated, perhaps, by
the same view of escaping introduction when
they were to meet.
The morning hours of the Cottage were
always later than those of the other house, and
on the morrow the difference was so great that
Mary and Anne were not more than beginning
breakfast when Charles came in to say that
they were just setting off, that he was come for
his dogs, that his sisters were following with
Captain Wentworth; his sisters meaning to
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visit Mary and the child, and Captain Went-
worth proposing also to wait on her for a few
minutes if not inconvenient ; and though Charles
had answered for the child's being in no such
state as could make it inconvenient, Captain
Wentworth would not be satisfied without his
running on to give notice.
Mary, very much gratified by this attention,
was delighted to receive him, while a thousand
feelings rushed on Anne, of which this was the
most consoling, that it would soon be over.
And it was soon over. In two minutes after
Charles's preparation, the others appeared ; they
were in the drawing-room. Her eye half met
Captain Wentworth's, a bow, a courtesy passed ;
she heard his voice ; he talked to Mary, said all
that was right, said something to the Miss Mus-
groves, enough to mark an easy footing ; the
room seemed full, full of persons and voices, but
a few minutes ended it. Charles shewed himself
at the window, all was ready, their visitor had
bowed and was gone, the Miss Musgroves were
gone too, suddenly resolving to walk to the end
of the village with the sportsmen ; the room was
cleared, and Anne might finish her breakfast as
she could.
* It is over ! it is over ! ' she repeated to her-
self again and again, in nervous gratitude. * The
worst is over 1 '
10 F* 85
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Mary talked, but she could not attend. She
had seen him. They had met. They had been
once more in the same room.
Soon, however, she began to reason with
herself, and try to be feeling less. Eight years,
almost eight years had passed, since all had
been given up. How absurd to be resuming
the agitation which such an interval had banished
into distance and indistinctness ! What might
not eight years do ? Events of every descrip-
tion, changes, alienations, removals all, all
must be comprised in it, and oblivion of the
past how natural, how certain too ! It in-
cluded nearly a third part of her own life.
Alas ! with all her reasonings she found that
to retentive feelings eight years may be little
more than nothing.
Now, how were his sentiments to be read?
Was this like wishing to avoid her ? And the
next moment she was hating herself for the
folly which asked the question.
On one other question, which perhaps her
utmost wisdom might not have prevented, she
was soon spared all suspense ; for after the Miss
Musgroves had returned and finished their visit
at the Cottage, she had this spontaneous in-
formation from Mary
'Captain Wentworth is not ver<y gallant by
you, Anne, though he was so attentive to me.
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Henrietta asked him what he thought of you,
when they went away, and he said, " You were
so altered he should not have known you again." :
Mary had no feelings to make her respect
her sister's in a common way, but she was
perfectly unsuspicious of being inflicting any
peculiar wound.
6 Altered beyond his knowledge.' Anne fully
submitted in silent, deep mortification. Doubt-
less it was so, and she could take no revenge,
for he was not altered, or not for the worse.
She had already acknowledged it to herself, and
she could not think differently, let him think of
her as he would. No: the years which had
destroyed her youth and bloom had only given
him a more glowing, manly, open look, in no
respect lessening his personal advantages. She ,/
had seen the same Frederick Went worth.
'So altered that he should not have known
her again ! ' These were words which could not
but dwell with her. Yet she soon began to
rejoice that she had heard them. They were
of sobering tendency ; they allayed agitation ;
they composed, and consequently must make
her happier.
Frederick Wentworth had used such words,
or something like them, but without an idea
that they would be carried round to her. He
had thought her wretchedly altered, and in the
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first moment of appeal, had spoken as he felt.
He had not forgiven Anne Elliot. She had
used him ill, deserted and disappointed him ;
and worse, she had shewn a feebleness of char-
acter in doing so, which his own decided, con-
fident temper could not endure. She had given
him up to oblige others. It had been the effect
of over-persuasion. It had been weakness and
timidity.
He had been most warmly attached to her,
and had never seen a woman since whom he
thought her equal ; but, except from some
natural sensation of curiosity, he had no desire
of meeting her again. Her power with him
was gone for ever.
It was now his object to marry. He was
rich, and being turned on shore, fully intended
to settle as soon as he could be properly tempted;
actually looking round, ready to fall in love with
all the speed which a clear head and quick taste
could allow. He had a heart for either of the
Miss Musgroves, if they could catch it ; a heart,
in short, for any pleasing young woman who
came in his way, excepting Anne Elliot. This
was his only secret exception, when he said to
his sister, in answer to her suppositions
* Yes, here I am, Sophia, quite ready to make
a foolish match. Anybody between fifteen and
thirty may have me for asking. A little beauty,
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and a few smiles, and a few compliments to the
Navy, and I am a lost man. Should not this
be enough for a sailor, who has had no society
among women to make him nice ? '
He said it, she knew, to be contradicted.
His bright proud eye spoke the happy convic-
tion that he was nice ; and Anne Elliot was
not out of his thoughts, when he more than
seriously described the woman he should wish
to meet with. * A strong mind, with sweetness
of manner,' made the first and the last of the
description.
6 This is the woman I want,' said he. ' Some-
thing a little inferior I shall of course put up
with, but it must not be much. If I am a fool,
I shall be a fool indeed, for I have thought on
the subject more than most men.'
CHAPTER VIII
FROM this time Captain Wentworth and Anne
Elliot were repeatedly in the same circle. They
were soon dining in company together at Mr.
Musgrove's, for the little boy's state could no
longer supply his aunt with a pretence for ab-
senting herself; and this was but the beginning
of other dinings and other meetings.
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Whether former feelings were to be renewed
must be brought to the proof; former times
must undoubtedly be brought to the recollec-
tion of each ; they could not but be reverted to ;
the year of their engagement could not but be
named by him, in the little narratives or descrip-
tions which conversation called forth. His
profession qualified him, his disposition led him
to talk ; and ' That was in the year six '; ' That
happened before I went to sea, in the year six/
occurred in the course of the first evening they
spent together : and though his voice did not
falter, and though she had no reason to suppose
his eye wandering towards her while he spoke,
Anne felt the utter impossibility, from her
knowledge of his mind, that he could be un-
visited by remembrance any more than herself.
There must be the same immediate association
of thought, though she was very far from con-
ceiving it to be of equal pain.
They had no conversation together, no inter-
course but what the commonest civility required.
Once so much to each other! Now nothing!
There had been a time, when of all the large
party now filling the drawing-room at Upper-
cross, they would have found it most difficult to
cease to speak to one another. With the excep-
tion, perhaps, of Admiral and Mrs. Croft, who
seemed particularly attached and happy (Anne
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could allow no other exception, even among the
married couples), there could have been no two
hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings
so in unison, no countenances so beloved. Now
they were as strangers ; nay, worse than
strangers, for they could never become ac-
quainted. It was a perpetual estrangement.
When he talked, she heard the same voice,
and discerned the same mind. There was a
very general ignorance of all naval matters
throughout the party; and he was very much
questioned, and especially by the two Miss
Musgroves, who seemed hardly to have any
eyes but for him, as to the manner of living on
board, daily regulations, food, hours, etc. ; and
their surprise at his accounts, at learning the
degree of accommodation and arrangement
which was practicable, drew from him some
pleasant ridicule, which reminded Anne of the
early days when she too had been ignorant, and
she too had been accused of supposing sailors to
be living on board without anything to eat, or
any cook to dress it if there were, or any servant
to wait, or any knife and fork to use.
From thus listening and thinking, she was
roused by a whisper of Mrs. Musgrove's, who,
overcome by fond regrets, could not help
saying
'Ah! Miss Anne, if it had pleased Heaven
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to spare my poor son, I dare say he would have
been just such another by this time.'
Anne suppressed a smile, and listened kindly,
while Mrs. Musgrove relieved her heart a little
more ; and for a few minutes, therefore, could
not keep pace with the conversation of the
others.
When she could let her attention take its
natural course again, she found the Miss Mus-
groves just fetching the Navy List (their own
navy list, the first that had ever been at Upper-
cross), and sitting down together to pore over
it, with the professed view of finding out the
ships which Captain Wentworth had com-
manded.
6 Your first was the Asp,\ remember ; we will
look for the Asp.'
'You will not find her there. Quite worn
out and broken up. I was the last man who
commanded her. Hardly fit for service then.
Reported fit for home service for a year or two,
and so I was sent off to the West Indies.'
The girls looked all amazement.
' The Admiralty,' he continued, ' entertain
themselves now and then, with sending a few
hundred men to sea in a ship not fit to be
employed. But they have a great many to
provide for ; and among the thousands that may
just as well go to the bottom as not, it is impos-
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sible for them to distinguish the very set who
may he least missed.'
6 Phoo ! phoo ! ' cried the Admiral, * what stuff
these young fellows talk! Never was there a
better sloop than the Asp in her day. For an
old-built sloop, you would not see her equal.
Lucky fellow to get her ! He knows there must
have been twenty better men than himself ap-
plying for her at the same time. Lucky fellow
to get anything so soon, with no more interest
than his.'
' I felt my luck, Admiral, I assure you,' replied
Captain Wentworth seriously. 'I was as well
satisfied with my appointment as you can desire.
It was a great object with me at that time to be
at sea : a very great object ; I wanted to be doing
something.'
* To be sure you did. What should a young
fellow like you do ashore for half a year together ?
If a man has not a wife, he soon wants to be
afloat again.'
'But, Captain Wentworth,' cried Louisa,
*how vexed you must have been, when you
came to the Asp, to see what an old thing they
had given you ! '
* I knew pretty well what she was before that
day,' said he, smiling. * I had no more discoveries
to make than you would have as to the fashion
and strength of any old pelisse, which you had
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seen lent about among half your acquaintance
ever since you could remember, and which at
last, on some very wet day, is lent to yourself.
Ah ! she was a dear old Asp to me. She did
all that I wanted. I knew she would. 1 knew
that we should either go to the bottom together,
or that she would be the making of me ; and I
never had two days of foul weather all the time
I was at sea in her ; and after taking privateers
enough to be very entertaining, I had the good
luck in my passage home, the next autumn, to
fall in with the very French frigate I wanted.
I brought her into Plymouth; and here was
another instance of luck. We had not been six
hours in the Sound, when a gale came on, which
lasted four days and nights, and which would
have done for poor old Asp in half the time ;
our touch with the Great Nation not having
much improved our condition. Four-and-twenty
hours later, and I should only have been a gallant
Captain Wentworth, in a small paragraph at
one corner of the newspapers; and being lost
in only a sloop, nobody would have thought
about me.'
Anne's shudderings were to herself alone ; but
the Miss Musgroves could be as open as they
were sincere, in their exclamations of pity and
horror.
* And so then, I suppose,' said Mrs. Musgrove,
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in a low voice, as if thinking aloud, * so then he
went away to the Laconia, and there he met
with our poor boy. Charles, my dear ' (beckon-
ing him to her), 'do ask Captain Wentworth
where it was he first met with your poor brother.
I always forget.'
' It was at Gibraltar, mother, I know. Dick
had been left ill at Gibraltar, with a recom-
mendation from his former captain to Captain
Wentworth.'
'Oh! but Charles, tell Captain Wentworth
he need not be afraid of mentioning poor Dick
before me, for it would be rather a pleasure to
hear him talked of by such a good friend.'
Charles, being somewhat more mindful of the
probabilities of the case, only nodded in reply,
and walked away.
The girls were now hunting for the Laconia ;
and Captain Wentworth could not deny himself
the pleasure of taking the precious volume into
his own hands to save them the trouble, and
once more read aloud the little statement of her
name and rate, and present non-commissioned
class, observing over it that she too had been
one of the best friends man ever had.
( Ah, those were pleasant days when I had
the Laconia I How fast I made money in her !
A friend of mine and I had such a lovely cruise
together off the Western Islands. Poor Har-
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ville, sister ! You know how much he wanted
money : worse than myself. He had a wife.
Excellent fellow ! I shall never forget his
happiness. He felt it all so much for her
sake. I wished for him again the next summer,
when I had still the same luck in the Mediter-
ranean.'
* And I am sure, sir,' said Mrs. Musgrove, * it
was a lucky day for us, when you were put
captain into that ship. We shall never forget
what you did.'
Her feelings made her speak low ; and Captain
Wentworth, hearing only in part, and probably
not having Dick Musgrove at all near his
thoughts, looked rather in suspense, and as if
waiting for more.
'My brother,' whispered one of the girls;
4 mama is thinking of poor Richard.'
* Poor dear fellow ! ' continued Mrs. Musgrove ,
* he was grown so steady, and such an excellent
correspondent, while he was under your care !
Ah ! it would have been a happy thing, if he
had never left you. I assure you, Captain
Wentworth, we are very sorry he ever left
you.'
There was a momentary expression in Captain
Wentworth's face at this speech, a certain glance
of his bright eye, and curl of his handsome mouth,
which convinced Anne, that instead of sharing
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in Mrs. Musgrove's kind wishes, as to her son,
he had probably been at some pains to get rid
of him ; but it was too transient an indulgence
of self-amusement to be detected by any who
understood him less than herself; in another
moment he was perfectly collected and serious,
and almost instantly afterwards coming up to
the sofa, on which she and Mrs. Musgrove were
sitting, took a place by the latter, and entered
into conversation with her, in a low voice, about
her son, doing it with so much sympathy and
natural grace, as shewed the kindest considera-
tion for all that was real and unabsurd in the
parent's feelings.
They were actually on the same sofa, for Mrs.
Musgrove had most readily made room for him :
they were divided only by Mrs. Musgrove. It
was no insignificant barrier, indeed. Mrs. Mus-
grove was of a comfortable, substantial size,
infinitely more fitted by nature to express good
cheer and good humour than tenderness and
sentiment; and while the agitations of Anne's
slender form, and pensive face, may be con-
sidered as very completely screened, Captain
Wentworth should be allowed some credit for
the self-command with which he attended to
her large fat sighings over the destiny of a son,
whom alive nobody had cared for.
Personal size and mental sorrow have certainly
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no necessary proportions. A large bulky figure
has as good a right to be in deep affliction as the
most graceful set of limbs in the world. But,
fair or not fair, there are unbecoming con-
junctions, which reason wiD patronise in vain
which taste cannot tolerate which ridicule
will seize.
The Admiral, after taking two or three re-
freshing turns about the room with his hands
behind him, being called to order by his wife,
now came up to Captain Wentworth, and
without any observation of what he might be
interrupting, thinking only of his own thoughts,
began with
* If you had been a week later at Lisbon, last
spring, Frederick, you would have been asked
to give a passage to Lady Mary Grierson and
her daughters.'
* Should I ? I am glad I was not a week
later, then.'
The Admiral abused him for his want of
gallantry. He defended himself: though pro-
fessing that he would never willingly admit
any ladies on board a ship of his, excepting
for a ball, or a visit, which a few hours might
comprehend.
' But, if I know myself,' said he, * this is from
no want of gallantry towards them. It is rather
from feeling how impossible it is, with all one's
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efforts, and all one's sacrifices, to make the
accommodations on board such as women ought
to have. There can be no want of gallantry,
Admiral, in rating the claims of women to every
personal comfort high, and this is what I do.
I hate to hear of women on board, or to see
them on board ; and no ship under my com-
mand shall ever convey a family of ladies
anywhere, if I can help it.'
This brought his sister upon him.
* Oh ! Frederick ! But I cannot believe it of
you. All idle refinement ! Women may be as
comfortable on board as in the best house in
England. I believe I have lived as much on
board as most women, and I know nothing
superior to the accommodations of a man-of-war.
I declare I have not a comfort or an indulgence
about me, even at Kellynch Hall ' (with a kind
bow to Anne), 'beyond what I always had in
most of the ships I have lived in; and they
have been five altogether.'
* Nothing to the purpose,' replied her brother.
* You were living with your husband, and were
the only woman on board.'
'But you, yourself, brought Mrs. Harville,
her sister, her cousin, and the three children,
round from Portsmouth to Plymouth. Where
was this superfine, extraordinary sort of gal-
lantry of yours then ? '
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'All merged in my friendship, Sophia. I
would assist any brother-officer's wife that I
could, and I would bring anything of Harville's
from the world's end, if he wanted it. But do
not imagine that I did not feel it an evil in
itself.'
' Depend upon it, they were all perfectly
comfortable.'
'I might not like them the better for that,
perhaps. Such a number of women and chil-
dren have no right to be comfortable on
board.'
' My dear Frederick, you are talking quite
idly. Pray, what would become of us poor
sailors' wives, who often want to be conveyed
to one port or another, after our husbands, if
everybody had your feelings ? '
' My feelings, you see, did not prevent my
taking Mrs. Harville and all her family to
Plymouth.'
' But I hate to hear you talking so like a fine
gentleman, and as if women were all fine ladies,
instead of rational creatures. We none of us
expect to be in smooth water all our days.'
' Ah ! my dear,' said the Admiral, ' when he
has got a wife, he will sing a different tune.
When he is married, if we have the good luck
to live to another war, we shall see him do as
you and I, and a great many others have done.
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We shall have him very thankful to anybody
that will bring him his wife.'
'Ay, that we shall.'
' Now I have done/ cried Captain Went-
worth. 'When once married people begin to
attack me with " Oh ! you will think very
differently when you are married," I can only
say, "No, I shall not"; and then they say
again, "Yes, you will," and there is an end
of it.'
He got up and moved away.
* What a great traveller you must have been,
ma'am ! ' said Mrs. Musgrove to Mrs. Croft.
'Pretty well, ma'am, in the fifteen years of
my marriage ; though many women have done
more. I have crossed the Atlantic four times,
and have been once to the East Indies and back
again, and only once ; besides being in different
places about home : Cork, and Lisbon, and
Gibraltar. But I never went beyond the
Streights, and never was in the West Indies. We
do not call Bermuda or Bahama, you know, the
West Indies.'
Mrs. Musgrove had not a word to say in
dissent ; she could not accuse herself of having
ever called them anything in the whole course
of her life.
* And I do assure you, ma'am,' pursued Mrs
Croft, ' that nothing can exceed the accommoda-
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tions of a man-of-war ; I speak, you know, of
the higher rates. When you come to a frigate,
of course, you are more confined ; though any
reasonable woman may be perfectly happy in
one of them ; and I can safely say, that the
happiest part of my life has been spent on board
a ship. While we were together, you know,
there was nothing to be feared. Thank God 1
I have always been blest with excellent health,
and no climate disagrees with me. A little dis-
ordered always the first twenty-four hours of
going to sea, but never knew what sickness was
afterwards. The only time that I ever really
suffered in body or mind, the only time that I
ever fancied myself unwell, or had any ideas of
danger, was the winter that I passed by myself
at Deal, when the Admiral (Captain Croft then)
was in the North Seas. I lived in perpetual
fright at that time, and had all manner of
imaginary complaints from not knowing what
to do with myself, or when I should hear from
him next ; but as long as we could be together,
nothing ever ailed me, and I never met with the
smallest inconvenience.'
* Ay, to be sure. Yes, indeed, oh yes ! I am
quite of your opinion, Mrs. Croft,' was Mrs.
Musgrove's hearty answer. 'There is nothing
so bad as a separation. I am quite of your
opinion. / know what it is, for Mr. Musgrove
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always attends the assizes, and I am so glad
when they are over, and he is safe back again.'
The evening ended with dancing. On its
being proposed, Anne offered her services, as
usual; and though her eyes would sometimes
fill with tears as she sat at the instrument, she
was extremely glad to be employed, and desired
nothing in return but to be unobserved.
It was a merry, joyous party, and no one
seemed in higher spirits than Captain Went-
worth. She felt that he had everything to
elevate him, which general attention and defer-
ence, and especially the attention of all the
young women, could do. The Miss Hayters,
the females of the family of cousins already
mentioned, were apparently admitted to the
honour of being in love with him ; and as for
Henrietta and Louisa, they both seemed so
entirely occupied by him, that nothing but the
continued appearance of the most perfect good-
will between themselves could have made it
credible that they were not decided rivals. If
he were a little spoilt by such universal, such
eager admiration, who could wonder ?
These were some of the thoughts which
occupied Anne, while her fingers were mechani-
cally at work, proceeding for half an hour
together, equally without error, and without
consciousness. Once she felt that he was look-
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ing at herself, observing her altered features,
perhaps, trying to trace in them the ruins of the
face which had once charmed him ; and once she
knew that he must have spoken of her : she was
hardly aware of it till she heard the answer ;
but then she was sure of his having asked his
partner whether Miss Elliot never danced ?
The answer was, ' Oh no ! never ; she has quite
given up dancing. She had rather play. She
is never tired of playing.' Once, too, he spoke
to her. She had left the instrument on the
dancing being over, and he had sat down to try
to make out an air which he wished to give the
Miss Musgroves an idea of. Unintentionally
she returned to that part of the room ; he saw
her, and instantly rising, said, with studied
politeness
'I beg your pardon, madam, this is your
seat'; and though she immediately drew back
with a decided negative, he was not to be in-
duced to sit down again.
Anne did not wish for more of such looks
and speeches. His cold politeness, his cere-
monious grace, were worse than anything.
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CHAPTER IX
CAPTAIN WENTWORTH was come to Kellynch
as to a home, to stay as long as he liked, being
as thoroughly the object of the Admiral's
fraternal kindness as of his wife's. He had in-
tended, on first arriving, to proceed very soon
into Shropshire, and visit the brother settled in
that country, but the attractions of Uppercross
induced him to put this off. There was so
much of friendliness, and of flattery, and of
everything most bewitching in his reception
there; the old were so hospitable, the young
so agreeable, that he could not but resolve to
remain where he was, and take all the charms
and perfections of Edward's wife upon credit a
little longer.
It was soon Uppercross with him almost every
day. The Musgroves could hardly be more
ready to invite than he to come, particularly
in the morning, when he had no companion at
home; for the Admiral and Mrs. Croft were
generally out of doors together, interesting
themselves in their new possessions, their grass,
and their sheep, and dawdling about in a way
not endurable to a third person, or driving out
in a gig, lately added to their establishment
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Hitherto there had been but one opinion of
Captain Wentworth among the Musgroves and
their dependencies. It was unvarying, warm
admiration everywhere ; but this intimate foot-
ing was not more than established, when a
certain Charles Hayter returned among them,
to be a good deal disturbed by it, and to think
Captain Wentworth very much in the way.
Charles Hayter was the eldest of all the
cousins, and a very amiable, pleasing young
man, between whom and Henrietta there had
been a considerable appearance of attachment
previous to Captain Wentworth's introduction.
He was in orders ; and having a curacy in the
neighbourhood, where residence was not re-
quired, lived at his father's house, only two
miles from Uppercross. A short absence from
home had left his fair one unguarded by his
attentions at this critical period, and when he
came back he had the pain of finding very
altered manners, and of seeing Captain Went-
worth.
Mrs. Musgrove and Mrs. Hayter were sisters.
They had each had money, but their marriages
had made a material difference in their degree
of consequence. Mr. Hayter had some property
of his own, but it was insignificant compared
with Mr. Musgrove's ; and while the Musgroves
were in the first class of society in the country,
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the yonng Hayters would, from their parents
inferior, retired, and unpolished way of living,
and their own defective education, have been
hardly in any class at all, but for their connexion
with Uppercross : this eldest son of course ex-
cepted, who had chosen to be a scholar and a
gentleman, and who was very superior in culti-
vation and manners to all the rest.
The two families had always been on excellent
terms, there being no pride on one side, and no
envy on the other, and only such a consciousness
of superiority in the Miss Musgroves, as made
them pleased to improve their cousins. Charles's
attentions to Henrietta had been observed by
her father and mother without any disapproba-
tion. ' It would not be a great match for her ;
but if Henrietta liked him ' and Henrietta did
seem to like him.
Henrietta fully thought so herself, before
Captain Wentworth came ; but from that time
Cousin Charles had been very much forgotten.
Which of the two sisters was preferred by
Captain Wentworth was as yet quite doubtful,
as far as Anne's observation reached. Henrietta
was perhaps the prettiest, Louisa had the higher
spirits ; and she knew not now, whether the
more gentle or the more lively character were
most likely to attract him.
Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove, either from seeing
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little, or from an entire confidence in the dis-
cretion of both their daughters, and of all the
young men who came near them, seemed to
leave everything to take its chance. There
was not the smallest appearance of solicitude
or remark about them in the Mansion-house ;
but it was different at the Cottage : the young
couple there were more disposed to speculate
and wonder ; and Captain Wentworth had not
been above four or five times in the Miss Mus-
groves' company, and Charles Hayter had but
just reappeared, when Anne had to listen to the
opinions of her brother and sister, as to which
was the one liked best. Charles gave it for
Louisa, Mary for Henrietta, but quite agree-
ing that to have him marry either would be
extremely delightful.
Charles * had never seen a pleasanter man in
his life; and from what he had once heard Captain
Wentworth himself say, was very sure that he
had not made less than twenty thousand pounds
by the war. Here was a fortune at once : besides
which, there would be the chance of what might
be done in any future war; and he was sure
Captain Wentworth was as likely a man to
distinguish himself as any officer in the navy.
Oh ! it would be a capital match for either of
his sisters.'
'Upon my word it would,' replied Mary.
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* Dear me ! If he should rise to any very great
honours ! If he should ever be made a baronet!
"Lady Wentworth" sounds very well. That
would be a noble thing, indeed, for Henrietta !
She would take place of me then, and Henrietta
would not dislike that. Sir Frederick and Lady
Wentworth ! It would be but a new creation,
however, and I never think much of your new
creations.'
It suited Mary best to think Henrietta the
one preferred, on the very account of Charles
Hayter, whose pretensions she wished to see
put an end to. She looked down very decidedly
upon the Hayters, and thought it would be quite
a misfortune to have the existing connexion
between the families renewed very sad for
herself and her children.
* You know,' said she, * I cannot think him at
all a fit match for Henrietta ; and considering
the alliances which the Musgroves have made,
she has no right to throw herself away. I do
not think any young woman has a right to
make a choice that may be disagreeable and
inconvenient to the principal part of her family,
and be giving bad connexions to those who have
not been used to them. And pray, who is
Charles Hayter ? Nothing but a country curate.
A most improper match for Miss Musgrove of
Uppercross.'
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Her husband, however, would not agr^e with
her here ; for besides having a regard for his
cousin, Charles Hayter was an eldest son, and
he saw things as an eldest son himself.
'Now you are talking nonsense, Mary,' was
therefore his answer. ' It would not be a great
match for Henrietta, but Charles has a very fair
chance, through the Spicers, of getting some-
thing from the Bishop in the course of a year or
two ; and you will please to remember, that he
is the eldest son : whenever my uncle dies, he
steps into very pretty property. The estate at
Winthrop is not less than two hundred and fifty
acres, besides the farm near Taunton, which is
some of the best land hi the country. I grant
you, that any of them but Charles would be a
very shocking match for Henrietta, and indeed
it could not be : he is the only one that could
be possible ; but he is a very good-natured,
good sort of a fellow ; and whenever Winthrop
comes into his hands, he will make a different
sort of place of it, and live in a very different
sort of way ; and with that property he will
never be a contemptible man good freehold
property. No, no ; Henrietta might do worse
than marry Charles Hayter ; and if she has him,
and Louisa can get Captain Wentworth, I shall
be very well satisfied.'
' Charles may say what he pleases,' cried Mary
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to Anne, as soon as he was out of the room,
'but it would be shocking to have Henrietta
marry Charles Hayter : a very bad thing for
her, and still worse for me ; and therefore it is
very much to be wished that Captain Went-
worth may soon put him quite out of her head,
and I have very little doubt that he has. She
took hardly any notice of Charles Hayter yester-
day. I wish you had been there to see her
behaviour. And as to Captain Wentworth's
liking Louisa as well as Henrietta, it is nonsense
to say so ; for he certainly does like Henrietta
a great deal the best. But Charles is so posi-
tive ! I wish you had been with us yesterday,
for then you might have decided between us ;
and I am sure you would have thought as I
did, unless you had been determined to give it
against me.'
A dinner at Mr. Musgrove's had been the
occasion when all these things should have been
seen by Anne; but she had staid at home,
under the mixed plea of a headache of her
own, and some return of indisposition in little
Charles. She had thought only of avoiding
Captain Wentworth ; but an escape from being
appealed to as umpire was now added to the
advantages of a quiet evening.
As to Captain Wentworth's views, she deemed
it of more consequence that he should know his
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own mind early enough not to be endangering
the happiness of either sister, or impeaching his
own honour, than that he should prefer Henri-
etta to Louisa, or Louisa to Henrietta. Either
of them would, in all probability, make him an
affectionate, good-humoured wife. With regard
to Charles Hayter, she had delicacy which must
be pained by any lightness of conduct in a well-
meaning young woman, and a heart to sympa-
thise in any of the sufferings it occasioned ; but
if Henrietta found herself mistaken in the nature
of her feelings, the alteration could not be
understood too soon.
Charles Hayter had met with much to dis-
quiet and mortify him hi his cousin's behaviour.
She had too old a regard for him to be so
wholly estranged as might in two meetings
extinguish every past hope, and leave him
nothing to do but to keep away from Upper-
cross : but there was such a change as became
very alarming, when such 3, man as Captain
Wentworth was to be regarded as the probable
cause. He had been absent only two Sundays,
and when they parted, had left her interested,
even to the height of his wishes, in his prospect
of soon quitting his present curacy, and obtain-
ing that of Uppercross instead. It had then
seemed the object nearest her heart, that Dr.
Shirley, the rector, who for more than forty
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years had been zealously discharging all the
duties of his office, but was now growing too
infirm for many of them, should be quite fixed
on engaging a curate ; should make his curacy
quite as good as he could afford, and should
give Charles Hayter the promise of it. The
advantage of his having to come only to Upper-
cross, instead of going six miles another way ;
of his having, in every respect, a better curacy ;
of his belonging to their dear Dr. Shirley ; and
of dear, good Dr. Shirley's being relieved from
the duty which he could no longer get through
without most injurious fatigue, had been a great
deal, even to Louisa, but had been almost
everything to Henrietta. When he came back,
alas! the zeal of the business was gone by.
Louisa could not listen at all to his account of
a conversation which he had just held with Dr.
Shirley : she was at the window looking out for
Captain Wentworth ; and even Henrietta had
at best only a divided attention to give, and
seemed to have forgotten all the former doubt
and solicitude of the negotiation.
' Well, I am very glad, indeed ; but I always
thought you would have it ; I always thought
you sure. It did not appear to me that in
short, you know, Dr. Shirley must have a curate,
and you had secured his promise. Is he coming,
Louisa ? '
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One morning, very soon after the dinner at
the Musgroves, at which Anne had not been
present, Captain Wentworth walked into the
drawing-room at the Cottage, where were only
herself and the little invalid Charles, who was
lying on the sofa.
The surprise of finding himself almost alone
with Anne Elliot deprived his manners of their
usual composure: he started, and could only
say, * I thought the Miss Musgroves had been
here : Mrs. Musgrove told me I should find
them here/ before he walked to the window
to recollect himself, and feel how he ought to
behave.
* They are upstairs with my sister : they will
be down in a few moments, I dare say,' had
been Anne's reply, in all the confusion that was
natural; and if the child had not called her
to come and do something for him, she would
have been out of the room the next moment,
and released Captain Wentworth as well as
herself.
He continued at the window ; and after
calmly and politely saying, 'I hope the little
boy is better,' was silent.
She was obliged to kneel down by the sofa,
and remain there to satisfy her patient; and
thus they continued a few minutes, when, to
her very great satisfaction, she heard some other
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person crossing the little vestibule. She hoped,
on turning her head, to see the master of the
house ; but it proved to be one much less
calculated for making matters easy Charles
Hayter, probably not at all better pleased by
the sight of Captain Wentworth, than Captain
Wentworth had been by the sight of Anne.
She only attempted to say, ' How do you
do ? Will not you sit down ? The others will
be here presently.'
Captain Wentworth, however, came from his
window, apparently not ill-disposed for conver-
sation ; but Charles Hayter soon put an end to
his attempts, by seating himself near the table,
and taking up the newspaper ; and Captain
Wentworth returned to his window.
Another minute brought another addition.
The younger boy, a remarkably stout, forward
child, of two years old, having got the door
opened for him by some one without, made his
determined appearance among them, and went
straight to the sofa to see what was going on,
and put in his claim to anything good that might
be giving away.
There being nothing to be eat, he could only
have some play ; and as his aunt would not let
him tease his sick brother, he began to fasten
himself upon her, as she knelt, in such a way
that, busy as she was about Charles, she could
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not shake him off. She spoke to him, ordered,
entreated, and insisted in vain. Once she did
contrive to push him away, but the boy had
the greater pleasure in getting upon her back
again directly.
' Walter,' said she, * get down this moment.
You are extremely troublesome. I am very
angry with you/
6 Walter,' cried Charles Hayter, ' why do you
not do as you are bid ? Do not you hear your
aunt speak? Come to me, Walter; come to
cousin Charles.'
But not a bit did Walter stir.
In another moment, however, she found her-
self in the state of being released from him :
some one was taking him from her, though
he had bent down her head so much, that his
little sturdy hands were unfastened from around
her neck, and he was resolutely borne away,
before she knew that Captain Wentworth had
done it.
Her sensations on the discovery made her
perfectly speechless. She could not even thank
him. She could only hang over little Charles,
with most disordered feelings. His kindness
in stepping forward to her relief, the manner,
the silence in which it had passed, the little
particulars of the circumstance, with the convic-
tion soon forced on her by the noise he was
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studiously making with the child, that he meant
to avoid hearing her thanks, and rather sought
to testify that her conversation was the last
of his wants, produced such a confusion of vary-
ing, but very painful agitation, as she could not
recover from, till enabled, by the entrance of
Mary and the Miss Musgroves, to make over
her little patient to their cares, and leave the
room. She could not stay. It might have
been an opportunity of watching the loves and
jealousies of the four they were now alto-
gether ; but she could stay for none of it. It
was evident that Charles Hayter was not well
inclined towards Captain Wentworth. She had
a strong impression of his having said, in a
vexed tone of voice, after Captain Wentworth 's
interference, * You ought to have minded me,
Walter ; I told you not to tease your aunt ' ;
and could comprehend his regretting that Cap-
tain Wentworth should do what he ought to
have done himself. But neither Charles Hayter 's
feelings, nor anybody's feelings, could interest
her, till she had a little better arranged her own.
She was ashamed of herself, quite ashamed of
being so nervous, so overcome by such a trifle ;
but so it was, and it required a long application
of solitude and reflection to recover her.
10 H* 117
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CHAPTER X
OTHER opportunities of making her observations
could not fail to occur. Anne had soon been
in company with all the four together often
enough to have an opinion, though too wise to
acknowledge as much at home, where she knew
it would have satisfied neither husband nor wife ;
for while she considered Louisa to be rather the
favourite, she could not but think, as far as
she might dare to judge from memory and ex-
perience, that Captain Wentworth was not in
love with either. They were more in love with
him ; yet there it was not love. It was a little
fever of admiration ; but it might, probably
must, end in love with some. Charles Hayter
seemed aware of being slighted, and yet Hen-
rietta had sometimes the air of being divided
between them. Anne longed for the power of
representing to them all what they were about,
and of pointing out some of the evils they were
exposing themselves to. She did not attribute
guile to any. It was the highest satisfaction to
her to believe Captain Wentworth not in the
least aware of the pain he was occasioning.
There was no triumph, no pitiful triumph in
his manner. He had, probably, never heard,
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and never thought of any claims of Charles
Hayter. He was only wrong in accepting the
attentions (for accepting must be the word) of
two young women at once.
After a short struggle, however, Charles
Hayter seemed to quit the field. Three days
had passed without his coming once to Upper-
cross ; a most decided change. He had even
refused one regular invitation to dinner; and
having been found on the occasion by Mr.
Musgrove with some large books before him,
Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove were sure all could not
be right, and talked, with grave faces, of his
studying himself to death. It was Mary's hope
and belief that he had received a positive dis-
missal from Henrietta, and her husband lived
under the constant dependence of seeing him
to-morrow. Anne could only feel that Charles
Hayter was wise.
One morning, about this time, Charles Mus-
grove and Captain Wentworth being gone a-
shooting together, as the sisters in the Cottage
were sitting quietly at work, they were visited
at the window by the sisters from the Mansion-
house.
It was a very fine November day, and the
Miss Musgroves came through the little grounds,
and stopped for no other purpose than to say,
that they were going to take a long walk, and
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therefore concluded Mary could not like to go
with them ; and when Mary immediately re-
plied, with some jealousy at not being supposed
a good walker, * Oh yes ! I should like to join
you very much, I am very fond of a long walk,'
Anne felt persuaded, by the looks of the two
girls, that it was precisely what they did not
wish, and admired again the sort of necessity
which the family habits seemed to produce, of
everything being to be communicated, and
everything being to be done together, however
undesired and inconvenient. She tried to dis-
suade Mary from going, but in vain ; and that
being the case, thought it best to accept the
Miss Musgroves' much more cordial invitation
to herself to go likewise, as she might be useful
in turning back with her sister, and lessening
the interference in any plan of their own.
* I cannot imagine why they should suppose I
should not like a long walk,' said Mary, as she
went upstairs. * Everybody is always suppos-
ing that I am not a good walker ; and yet they
would not have been pleased if we had refused to
join them. When people come in this manner
on purpose to ask us, how can one say no ? '
Just as they were setting off, the gentlemen
returned. They had taken out a young dog,
which had spoilt their sport, and sent them back
early. Their time, and strength, and spirits
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were, therefore, exactly ready for this walk, and
they entered into it with pleasure. Could
Anne have foreseen such a junction, she would
have staid at home ; but, from some feelings of
interest and curiosity, she fancied now that it
was too late to retract, and the whole six set
forward together in the direction chosen by the
Miss Musgroves, who evidently considered the
walk as under their guidance.
Anne's object was not to be in the way of
anybody ; and where the narrow paths across
the fields made many separations necessary, to
keep with her brother and sister. Her pleasure
in the walk must arise from the exercise and the
day, from the view of the last smiles of the year
upon the tawny leaves and withered hedges,
and from repeating to herself some few of the
thousand poetical descriptions extant of autumn,
that season of peculiar and inexhaustible in-
fluence on the mind of taste and tenderness,
that season which has drawn from every poet,
worthy of being read, some attempt at descrip-
tion, or some lines of feeling. She occupied her
mind as much as possible in such-like musings
and quotations ; but it was not possible, that
when within reach of Captain Wentworth's con-
versation with either of the Miss Musgroves,
she should not try to hear it ; yet she caught
little very remarkable. It was mere lively chat,
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such as any young persons, on an intimate foot-
ing, might fall into. He was more engaged
with Louisa than with Henrietta. Louisa
certainly put more forward for his notice than
her sister. This distinction appeared to increase,
and there was one speech of Louisa's which
struck her. After one of the many praises of
the day, which were continually bursting forth,
Captain Wentworth added
' What glorious weather for the Admiral and
my sister! They meant to take a long drive
this morning ; perhaps we may hail them from
some of these hills. They talked of coming
into this side of the country. I wonder where-
abouts they will upset to-day. Ohl it does
happen very often, I assure you ; but my sister
makes nothing of it; she would as lieve be
tossed out as not.'
* Ah ! you make the most of it, I know,' cried
Louisa ; * but if it were really so, I should do
just the same in her place. If I loved a man as
she loves the Admiral, I would always be with
him, nothing should ever separate us, and I
would rather be overturned by him than driven
safely by anybody else.'
It was spoken with enthusiasm.
* Had you ? ' cried he, catching the same tone ;
6 1 honour you ! ' And there was silence between
them for a little while.
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Anne could not immediately fall into a quota-
tion again. The sweet scenes of autumn were
for a while put by, unless some tender sonnet,
fraught with the apt analogy of the declining
year, with declining happiness, and the images
of youth, and hope, and spring, all gone together,
blessed her memory. She roused herself to say,
as they struck by order into another path, * Is
not this one of the ways to Winthrop ? ' But
nobody heard, or, at least, nobody answered
her.
Winthrop, however, or its environs for
young men are sometimes to be met with,
strolling about near home was their destina-
tion ; and after another half-mile of gradual
ascent through large enclosures, -where the
ploughs at work and the fresh-made path spoke
the farmer counteracting the sweets of poetical
despondence, and meaning to have spring again,
they gained the summit of the most consider-
able hill, which parted Uppercross and Win-
throp, and soon commanded a full view of the
latter, at the foot of the hill on the other side.
Winthrop, without beauty and without dig-
nity, was stretched before them, an indifferent
house, standing low, and hemmed in by the
barns and buildings of a farmyard.
Mary exclaimed, 'Bless me! here is Win-
throp. I declare I had no idea! Well now,
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I think we had better turn back ; I am exces-
sively tired.'
Henrietta, conscious and ashamed, and seeing
no cousin Charles walking along any path, or
leaning against any gate, was ready to do as
Mary wished; but 'No!' said Charles Mus-
grove, and ' No, no ! ' cried Louisa more eagerly,
and taking her sister aside, seemed to be arguing
the matter warmly.
Charles, in the meanwhile, was very decidedly
declaring his resolution of calling on his aunt,
now that he was so near ; and very evidently,
though more fearfully, trying to induce his wife
to go too. But this was one of the points on
which the lady shewed her strength ; and when
he recommended the advantage of resting her-
self a quarter of an hour at Winthrop, as she
felt so tired, she resolutely answered, * Oh no,
indeed ! walking up that hill again would do
her more harm than any sitting down could do
her good'; and, in short, her look and manner
declared that go she would not.
After a little succession of these sort of
debates and consultations, it was settled between
Charles and his two sisters that he and Henri-
etta should just run down for a few minutes, to
see their aunt and cousins, while the rest of the
party waited for them at the top of the hill.
Louisa seemed the principal arranger of the
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plan ; and as she went a little way with them
down the hill, still talking to Henrietta, Mary
took the opportunity of looking scornfully
around her, and saying to Captain Went-
worth
* It is very unpleasant having such con-
nexions ! But, I assure you, I have never been
in the house above twice in my life.'
She received no other answer than an arti-
ficial assenting smile, followed by a contemptu-
ous glance, as he turned away, which Anne
perfectly knew the meaning of.
The brow of the hill, where they remained,
was a cheerful spot: Louisa returned; and
Mary, finding a comfortable seat for herself on
the step of a stile, was very well satisfied so
long as the others all stood about her ; but when
Louisa drew Captain Wentworth away, to try
for a gleaning of nuts in an adjoining hedge-
row, and they were gone by degrees quite out
of sight and sound, Mary was happy no longer :
she quarrelled with her own seat, was sure
Louisa had got a much better somewhere, and
nothing could prevent her from going to look
for a better also. She turned through the same
gate, but could not see them. Anne found a
nice seat for her, on a dry sunny bank, under
the hedge-row, in which she had no doubt of
their still being, in some spot or other. Mary
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sat down for a moment, but it would not do ;
she was sure Louisa had found a better seat
somewhere else, and she would go on till she
overtook her.
Anne, really tired herself, was glad to sit
down ; and she very soon heard Captain Went-
worth and Louisa in the hedge-row behind her,
as if making their way back along the rough,
wild sort of channel, down the centre. They
were speaking as they drew near. Louisa's
voice was the first distinguished. She seemed
to be in the middle of some eager speech.
What Anne first heard was
'And so, I made her go. I could not bear
that she should be frightened from the visit
by such nonsense. What ! would I be turned
back from doing a thing that I had determined
to do, and that I knew to be right, by the airs
and interference of such a person, or of any
person, I may say ? No, I have no idea of
being so easily persuaded. When I have made
up my mind, I have made it; and Henrietta
seemed entirely to have made up hers to call
at Winthrop to-day ; and yet, she was as near
giving it up out of nonsensical complaisance ! '
* She would have turned back, then, but for
you?*
'She would, indeed. I am almost ashamed
to say it.'
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* Happy for her, to have such a mind as yours
at hand ! After the hints you gave just now,
which did but confirm my own observations,
the last time I was in company with him, I
need not affect to have no comprehension of
what is going on. I see that more than a mere
dutiful morning visit to your aunt was in
question; and woe betide him, and her too,
when it comes to things of consequence, when
they are placed in circumstances requiring forti-
tude and strength of mind, if she have not
resolution enough to resist idle interference in
such a trifle as this. Your sister is an amiable
creature ; but yours is the character of decision
and firmness, I see. If you value her conduct
or happiness, infuse as much of your own spirit
into her as you can. But this, no doubt, you
have been always doing. It is the worst evil of
too yielding and indecisive a character, that no
influence over it can be depended on. You are
never sure of a good impression being durable ;
everybody may sway it. Let those who would
be happy be firm. Here is a nut,' said he,
catching one down from an upper bough, 'to
exemplify : a beautiful glossy nut, which, blessed
with original strength, has outlived all the
storms of autumn. Not a puncture, not a weak
spot anywhere. This nut,' he continued, with
playful solemnity, * while so many of its brethren
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have fallen and been trodden under foot, is still
in possession of all the happiness that a hazel
nut can be supposed capable of.' Then return-
ing to his former earnest tone ' My first wish
for all whom I am interested in, is that they
should be firm. If Louisa Musgrove would be
beautiful and happy in her November of life,
she will cherish all her present powers of mind.'
He had done, and was unanswered. It would
have surprised Anne if Louisa could have readily
answered such a speech : words of such interest,
spoken with such serious warmth 1 She could
imagine what Louisa was feeling. For herself,
she feared to move, lest she should be seen.
While she remained, a bush of low rambling
holly protected her, and they were moving on.
Before they were beyond her hearing, however,
Louisa spoke again.
'Mary is good-natured enough in many
respects,' said she; 'but she does sometimes
provoke me excessively by her nonsense and
pride the Elliot pride. She has a great deal
too much of the Elliot pride. We do so
wish that Charles had married Anne instead.
I suppose you know he wanted to marry Anne?'
After a moment's pause, Captain Wentworth
said
* Do you mean that she refused him ? '
* Oh ! yes ; certainly/
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PERSUASION
* When did that happen ? '
' I do not exactly know, for Henrietta and I
were at school at the time ; but I believe about
a year before he married Mary. I wish she had
accepted him. We should all have liked her
a great deal better ; and papa and mama always
think it was her great friend Lady Russell's
doing, that she did not. They think Charles
might not be learned and bookish enough
to please Lady Russell, and that, therefore, she
persuaded Anne to refuse him.'
The sounds were retreating, and Anne dis-
tinguished no more. Her own emotions still
kept her fixed. She had much to recover from
before she could move. The listener's proverbial
fate was not absolutely hers : she had heard no
evil of herself, but she had heard a great deal
of very painful import. She saw how her own
character was considered by Captain Wentworth,
and there had been just that degree of feeling
and curiosity about her in his manner which
must give her extreme agitation.
As soon as she could, she went after Mary,
and having found, and walked back with her
to their former station by the stile, felt some
comfort in their whole party being immediately
afterwards collected, and once more in motion
together. Her spirits wanted the solitude and
silence which only numbers could give.
10 i 129
PERSUASION
Charles and Henrietta returned, bringing, as
may be conjectured, Charles Hayter with them.
The minutiae of the business Anne could not
attempt to understand ; even Captain Went-
worth did not seem admitted to perfect confidence
here; but that there had been a withdrawing
on the gentleman's side, and a relenting on the
lady's, and that they were now very glad to be
together again, did not admit a doubt. Hen-
rietta looked a little ashamed, but very well
pleased ; Charles Hayter exceedingly happy ;
and they were devoted to each other almost
from the first instant of their all setting forward
for Uppercross.
Everything now marked out Louisa for
Captain Wentworth : nothing could be plainer ;
and where many divisions were necessary, or
even where they were not, they walked side by
side nearly as much as the other two. In a long
strip of meadow land, where there was ample
space for all, they were thus divided, forming
three distinct parties ; and to that party of the
three which boasted least animation, and least
complaisance, Anne necessarily belonged. She
joined Charles and Mary, and was tired enough
to be very glad of Charles's other arm ; but
Charles, though in very good humour with her,
was out of temper with his wife. Mary had
shewn herself disobliging to him, and was now
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to reap the consequence, which consequence
was his dropping her arm almost every moment
to cut off the heads of some nettles in the hedge
with his switch ; and when Mary began to
complain of it, and lament her being ill-used,
according to custom, in being on the hedge side,
while Anne was never incommoded on the other,
he dropped the arms of both, to hunt after a
weasel which he had a momentary glance of,
and they could hardly get him along at all.
This long meadow bordered a lane, which their
footpath, at the end of it, was to cross ; and when
the party had all reached the gate of exit, the
carriage advancing in the same direction, which
had been some time heard, was just coming up,
and proved to be Admiral Croft's gig. He and
his wife had taken their intended drive, and were
returning home. Upon hearing how long a walk
the young people had engaged in, they kindly
offered a seat to any lady who might be par-
ticularly tired ; it would save her fpll a mile,
and they were going through Uppercross. The
invitation was general and generally declined.
The Miss Musgroves were not at all tired, and
Mary was either offended by not being asked
before any of the others, or what Louisa called
the Elliot pride could not endure to make a
third in a one-horse chaise.
The walking party had crossed the lane, and
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were surmounting an opposite stile, and the
Admiral was putting his horse into motion
again, when Captain Wentworth cleared the
hedge in a moment, to say something to his
sister. The something might be guessed by its
effects.
' Miss Elliot, I am sure you are tired,' cried
Mrs. Croft. 'Do let us have the pleasure of
taking you home. Here is excellent room for
three, I assure you. If we were all like you,
I believe we might sit four. You must, indeed,
you must.'
Anne was still in the lane, and though
instinctively beginning to decline, she was not
allowed to proceed. The Admiral's kind urgency
came in support of his wife's : they would not
be refused ; they compressed themselves into
the smallest possible space to leave her a corner,
and Captain Wentworth, without saying a word,
turned to her, and quietly obliged her to be
assisted into the carriage.
Yes ; he had done it. She was in the carriage,
and felt that he had placed her there, that his
will and his hands had done it, that she owed
it to his perception of her fatigue, and his
resolution to give her rest. She was very much
affected by the view of his disposition towards
her, which all these things made apparent.
This little circumstance seemed the completion
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of all that had gone before. She understood
him. He could not forgive her, but he could
not be unfeeling. Though condemning her for
the past, and considering it with high and unjust
resentment, though perfectly careless of her,
and though becoming attached to another, still
he could not see her suffer without the desire
of giving her relief. It was a remainder of
former sentiment ; it was an impulse of pure,
though unacknowledged, friendship ; it was a
proof of his own warm and amiable heart, which
she could not contemplate without emotions so
compounded of pleasure and pain, that she knew
not which prevailed.
Her answers to the kindness and the remarks
of her companions were at first unconsciously
given. They had travelled half their way along
the rough lane before she was quite awake to
what they said. She then found them talking
of 'Frederick.'
' He certainly means to have one or other of
those two girls, Sophy,' said the Admiral ; * but
there is no saying which. He has been running
after them, too, long enough, one would think,
to make up his mind. Ay, this comes of the
peace. If it were war now, he would have
settled it long ago. We sailors, Miss Elliot,
cannot afford to make long courtships in time
of war. How many days was it, my dear,
10 i* 133
PERSUASION
between the first time of my seeing you and our
sitting down together in our lodgings at North
Yarmouth?'
* We had better not talk about it, my dear,'
replied Mrs. Croft pleasantly ; ' for if Miss
Elliot were to hear how soon we came to an
understanding, she would never be persuaded
that we could be happy together. I had known
you by character, however, long before.'
'Well, and I had heard of you as a very
pretty girl, and what were we to wait for besides ?
I do not like having such things so long in hand.
I wish Frederick would spread a little more
canvas, and bring us home one of these young
ladies to Kellynch. Then there would always
be company for them. And very nice young
ladies they both are ; I hardly know one from
the other/
'Very good-humoured, unaffected girls, in-
deed,' said Mrs. Croft, in a tone of calmer praise,
such as made Anne suspect that her keener
powers might not consider either of them as
quite worthy of her brother; 'and a very re-
spectable family. One could not be connecte/1
with better people. My dear Admiral, that
post ! we shall certainly take that post.'
But by coolly giving the reins a better direc-
tion herself, they happily passed the danger ; and
by once afterwards judiciously putting out her
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hand, they neither fell into a rut, nor ran foul of
a dung-cart ; and Anne, with some amusement
at their style of driving, which she imagined no
bad representation of the general guidance of"
their affairs, found herself safely deposited by
them at the Cottage.
CHAPTER XI
THE time now approached for Lady Russell's
return : the day was even fixed ; and Anne,
being engaged to join her as soon as she was
resettled, was looking forward to an early re-
moval to Kellynch, and beginning to think how
her own comfort was likely to be affected
by it.
It would place her in the same village with
Captain Wentworth, within half a mile of him ;
they would have to frequent the same church,
and there must be intercourse between the two
families. This was against her ; but, on the
other hand, he spent so much of his time at
Uppercross, that in removing thence she might
be considered rather as leaving him behind, than
as going towards him ; and upon the whole, she
believed she must, on this interesting question,
be the gainer, almost as certainly as in her
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change of domestic society, in leaving poor
Mary for Lady Russell.
She wished it might be possible for her to
avoid ever seeing Captain Wentworth at the
Hall : those rooms had witnessed former meet-
ings which would be brought too painfully
before her ; but she was yet more anxious for
the possibility of Lady Russell and Captain
Wentworth never meeting anywhere. They
did not like each other, and no renewal of
acquaintance now could do any good ; and were
Lady Russell to see them together, she might
think that he had too much self-possession, and
she too little.
These points formed her chief solicitude in
anticipating her removal from Uppercross, where
she felt she had been stationed quite long
enough. Her usefulness to little Charles would
always give some sweetness to the memory of
her two months' visit there, but he was gaining
strength apace, and she had nothing else to stay
for.
The conclusion of her visit, however, was
diversified in a way which she had not at all
imagined. Captain Wentworth, after being
unseen and unheard of at Uppercross for two
whole days, appeared again among them to
justify himself by a relation of what had kept
him away.
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A letter from his friend, Captain Harville,
having found him out at last, had brought intel-
ligence of Captain Harville's being settled with
his family at Lyme for the winter; of their
being, therefore, quite unknowingly, within
twenty miles of each other. Captain Harville
had never been in good health since a severe
wound which he received two years before, and
Captain Wentworth's anxiety to see him had
determined him to go immediately to Lyme.
He had been there for four- and- twenty hours.
His acquittal was complete, his friendship warmly
honoured, a lively interest excited for his friend,
and his description of the fine country about
Lyme so feelingly attended to by the party,
that an earnest desire to see Lyme themselves,
and a project for going thither, was the con-
sequence.
The young people were all wild to see Lyme.
Captain Wentworth talked of going there again
himself; it was only seventeen miles from Upper-
cross : though November, the weather was by
no means bad ; and, in short, Louisa, who was
the most eager of the eager, having formed the
resolution to go, and besides the pleasure of
doing as she liked, being now armed with the
idea of merit in maintaining her own way, bore
down all the wishes of her father and mother
for putting it off till summer; and to Lyme
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they were to go Charles, Mary, Anne, Henri-
etta, Louisa, and Captain Wentworth.
The first heedless scheme had been to go in
the morning and return at night; but to this
Mr. Musgrove, for the sake of his horses, would
not consent; and when it came to be rationally
considered, a day in the middle of November
would not leave much time for seeing a new
place, after deducting seven hours, as the nature
of the country required, for going and return-
ing. They were, consequently, to stay the
night there, and not to be expected back till the
next day's dinner. This was felt to be a con-
siderable amendment ; and though they all met
at the Great House at rather an early breakfast
hour, and set off very punctually, it was so
much past noon before the two carriages Mr.
Musgrove's coach containing the four ladies,
and Charles's curricle, in which he drove Cap-
tain Wentworth were descending the long hill
into Lyme, and entering upon the still steeper
street of the town itself, that it was very evident
they would not have more than time for look-
ing about them, before the light and warmth of
the day were gone.
After securing accommodations, and ordering
a dinner at one of the inns, the next thing to be
done was unquestionably to walk directly down
to the sea. They were come too late in the
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year for any amusement or variety which Lyme,
as a public place, might offer. The rooms were
shut up, the lodgers almost all gone, scarcely
any family but of the residents left ; and as
there is nothing to admire in the buildings them-
selves, the remarkable situation of the town,
the principal street almost hurrying into the
water, the walk to the Cobb, skirting round the
pleasant little bay, which, in the season, is
animated with bathing-machines and company ;
the Cobb itself, its old wonders and new im-
provements, with the very beautiful line of
cliffs stretching out to the east of the town, are
what the stranger's eye will seek; and a very
strange stranger it must be, who does not see
charms in the immediate environs of Lyme, to
make him wish to know it better. The scenes
in its neighbourhood, Charmouth, with its high
grounds and extensive sweeps of country, and
still more, its sweet, retired bay, backed by dark
cliffs, where fragments of low rock among the
sands make it the happiest spot for watching
the flow of the tide, for sitting in unwearied
contemplation ; the wooded varieties of the
cheerful village of Up Lyme ; and, above all,
Pinny, with its green chasms between romantic
rocks, where the scattered forest - trees and
orchards of luxuriant growth declare that many
a generation must have passed away since the
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first partial falling of the cliff prepared the
ground for such a state, where a scene so won-
derful and so lovely is exhibited, as may more
than equal any of the resembling scenes of the
far-famed Isle of Wight : these places must be
visited, and visited again to make the worth of
Lyme understood.
The party from Uppercross passing down by
the now deserted and melancholy-looking rooms,
and still descending, soon found themselves on
the seashore; and lingering only, as all must
linger and gaze on a first return to the sea, who
ever deserve to look on it at all, proceeded
towards the Cobb, equally their object in itself
and on Captain Wentworth's account : for in a
small house, near the foot of an old pier of un-
known date, were the Harvilles settled. Captain
Wentworth turned in to call on his friend ; the
others walked on, and he was to join them on
the Cobb.
They were by no means tired of wondering
and admiring ; and not even Louisa seemed to
feel that they had parted with Captain Went-
worth long, when they saw him coming after
them, with three companions, all well known
already, by description, to be Captain and 3 Irs.
Harville, and a Captain Benwick, who was stay-
ing with them.
Captain Benwick had some time ago been
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first lieutenant of the Laconia ; and the account
which Captain Wentworth had given of him,
on his return from Lyme before, his warm
praise of him as an excellent young man and
an officer, whom he had always valued highly,
which must have stamped him well in the
esteem of every listener, had been followed by
a little history of his private life, which rendered
him perfectly interesting in the eyes of all the
ladies. He had been engaged to Captain Har-
ville's sister, and was now mourning her loss.
They had been a year or two waiting for
fortune and promotion. Fortune came, his
prize-money as lieutenant being great ; promo-
tion, too, came at last ; but Fanny Harville did
not live to know it. She had died the preceding
summer while he was at sea. Captain Went-
worth believed it impossible for man to be more
attached to woman than poor Benwick had been
to Fanny Harville, or to be more deeply afflicted
under the dreadful change. He considered his
disposition as of the sort which must suffer
heavily, uniting very strong feelings with quiet,
serious, and retiring manners, and a decided
taste for reading, and sedentary pursuits. To
finish the interest of the story, the friendship
between him and the Harvilles seemed, if
possible, augmented by the event which closed
all their views of alliance, and Captain Benwick
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was now living with them entirely. Captain
Harville had taken his present house for half a
year : his taste, and his health, and his fortune,
all directing him to a residence unexpensive,
and by the sea ; and the grandeur of the country,
and the retirement of Lyme in the winter,
appeared exactly adapted to Captain Benwick's
state of mind. The sympathy and goodwill
excited towards Captain Benwick was very
great.
* And yet/ said Anne to herself, as they now
moved forward to meet the party, ( he has not,
perhaps, a more sorrowing heart than I have.
I cannot believe his prospects so blighted for
ever. He is younger than I am ; younger in
feeling, if not in fact ; younger as a man. He
will rally again, and be happy with another.'
They all met, and were introduced. Captain
Harville was a tall, dark man, with a sensible,
benevolent countenance : a little lame ; and,
from strong features and want of health, look-
ing much older than Captain Wentworth.
Captain Benwick looked, and was, the youngest
of the three, and compared with either of them,
a little man. He had a pleasing face and a
melancholy air, just as he ought to have, and
drew back from conversation.
Captain Harville, though not equalling Captain
Wentworth in manners, was a perfect gentleman,
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unaffected, warm, and obliging. Mrs. Harville,
a degree less polished than her husband, seemed,
however, to have the same good feelings ; and
nothing could be more pleasant than their
desire of considering the whole party as friends
of their own, because the friends of Captain
Wentworth, or more kindly hospitable than
their entreaties for their all promising to dine
with them. The dinner, already ordered at the
inn, was at last, though unwillingly, accepted as
an excuse; but they seemed almost hurt that
Captain Wentworth should have brought any
such party to Lyme, without considering it as
a thing of course that they should dine with
them.
There was so much attachment to Captain
Wentworth in all this, and such a bewitching
charm in a degree of hospitality so uncommon,
so unlike the usual style of give-and-take in-
vitations, and dinners of formality and display,
that Anne felt her spirits not likely to be
benefited by an increasing acquaintance among
his brother-officers. * These would have been
all my friends,' was her thought ; and she had
to struggle against a great tendency to lowness.
On quitting the Cobb, they all went indoors
with their new friends, and found rooms so
small as none but those who invite from the
heart could think capable of accommodating so
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many. Anne had a moment's astonishment on
the subject herself; but it was soon lost in
the pleasanter feelings which sprang from the
sight of all the ingenious contrivances and nice
arrangements of Captain Harville, to turn the
actual space to the best possible account, to
supply the deficiencies of lodging-house furniture,
and defend the windows and doors against the
winter storms to be expected. The varieties in
the fitting-up of the rooms, where the common
necessaries provided by the owner, in the common
indifferent plight, were contrasted with some
few articles of a rare species of wood, excellently
worked up, and with something curious and
valuable from all the distant countries Captain
Harville had visited, were more than amusing
to Anne : connected as it all was with his
profession, the fruit of its labours, the effect
of its influence on his habits, the picture of
repose and domestic happiness it presented,
made it to her a something more, or less, than
gratification.
Captain Harville was no reader; but he
had contrived excellent accommodations, and
fashioned very pretty shelves, for a tolerable
collection of well-bound volumes, the property
of Captain Benwick. His lameness prevented
him from taking much exercise ; but a mind of
usefulness and ingenuity seemed to furnish him
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with constant employment within. He drew,
he varnished, he carpentered, he glued ; he made
toys for the children ; he fashioned new netting-
needles and pins with improvements; and if
everything else was done, sat down to his large
fishing-net at one corner of the room.
Anne thought she left great happiness behind
her when they quitted the house ; and Louisa,
by whom she found herself walking, burst forth
into raptures of admiration and delight on the
character of the navy : their friendliness, their
brotherliness, their openness, their uprightness ;
protesting that she was convinced of sailors
having more worth and warmth than any other
set of men in England; that they only knew
how to live, and they only deserved to be re-
spected and loved.
They went back to dress and dine; and so
well had the scheme answered already, that
nothing was found amiss ; though its being ' so
entirely out of the season,' and the * no thorough-
fare of Lyme,' and the * no expectation of com-
pany,' had brought many apologies from the
heads of the inn.
Anne found herself by this time growing so
much more hardened to being in Captain Went-
worth's company than she had at first imagined
could ever be, that the sitting down to the same
table with him now, and the interchange of the
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common civilities attending on it (they never
got beyond), was become a mere nothing.
The nights were too dark for the ladies to
meet again till the morrow, but Captain Harville
had promised them a visit in the evening ; and
he came, bringing his friend also, which was
more than had been expected, it having been
agreed that Captain Benwick had all the appear-
ance of being oppressed by the presence of so
many strangers. He ventured among them
again, however, though his spirits certainly did
not seem fit for the mirth of the party in
general.
While Captains Wentworth and Harville led
the talk on one side of the room, and by recur-
ring to former days, supplied anecdotes in abund-
ance to occupy and entertain the others, it fell
to Anne's lot to be placed rather apart with
Captain Benwick ; and a very good impulse of
her nature obliged her to begin an acquaintance
with him. He was shy, and disposed to abstrac-
tion ; but the engaging mildness of her counte-
nance, and gentleness of her manner, soon had
their effect ; and Anne was well repaid the first
trouble of exertion. He was evidently a young
man of considerable taste in reading, though
principally in poetry ; and besides the persuasion
of having given him at least an evening's in-
dulgence in the discussion of subjects, which his
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usual companions had probably no concern in,
she had the hope of being of real use to him in
some suggestions as to the duty and benefit of
struggling against affliction, which had naturally
grown out of their conversation. For, though
shy, he did not seem reserved : it had rather the
appearance of feelings glad to burst their usual
restraints ; and having talked of poetry, the
richness of the present age, and gone through a
brief comparison of opinion as to the first-rate
poets, trying to ascertain whether Marmion or
The Lady of the Lake were to be preferred, and
how ranked the Giaour and The Bride of
Abydos, and, moreover, how the Giaour was to
be pronounced, he shewed himself so intimately
acquainted with all the tenderest songs of the
one poet, and all the impassioned descriptions of
hopeless agony of the other ; he repeated with
such tremulous feeling the various lines which
imaged a broken heart, or a mind destroyed by
wretchedness, and looked so entirely as if he
meant to be understood, that she ventured to
hope he did not always read only poetry, and to
say that she thought it was the misfortune of
poetry to be seldom safely enjoyed by those
who enjoyed it completely ; and that the strong
feelings which alone could estimate it truly
were the very feelings which ought to taste it
but sparingly.
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His looks shewing him not pained, but pleased
with this allusion to his situation, she was
emboldened to go on ; and feeling in herself
the right of seniority of mind, she ventured to
recommend a larger allowance of prose in his
daily study ; and on being requested to par-
ticularise, mentioned such works of our best
moralists, such collections of the finest letters,
such memoirs of characters of worth and suffer-
ing, as occurred to her at the moment as cal-
culated to rouse and fortify the mind by the
highest precepts and the strongest examples of
moral and religious endurances.
Captain Benwick listened attentively, and
seemed grateful for the interest implied ; and
though with a shake of the head, and sighs
which declared his little faith in the efficacy of
any books on grief like his, noted down the
names of those she recommended, and promised
to procure and read them.
When the evening was over, Anne could not
but be amused at the idea of her coming to
Lyme to preach patience and resignation to a
young man whom she had never seen before;
nor could she help fearing, on more serious
reflection, that, like many other great moralists
and preachers, she had been eloquent on a point
in which her own conduct would ill bear
examination.
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CHAPTER XII
ANNE and Henrietta, finding themselves the
earliest of the party the next morning, agreed
to stroll down to the sea before breakfast. They
went to the sands to watch the flowing of the
tide, which a fine south-easterly breeze was
bringing in with all the grandeur which so flat
a shore admitted. They praised the morning ;
gloried in the sea ; sympathised in the delight
of the fresh-feeling breeze and were silent ; till
Henrietta suddenly began again, with
* Oh yes ! I am quite convinced that, with
very few exceptions, the sea-air always does
good. There can be no doubt of its having
been of the greatest service to Dr. Shirley, after
his illness, last spring twelvemonth. He de-
clares himself, that coming to Lyme for a month
did him more good than all the medicine he
took ; and that being by the sea always makes
him feel young again. Now, I cannot help
thinking it a pity that he does not live entirely
by the sea. I do think he had better leave
Uppercross entirely, and fix at Lyme. Do
not you, Anne? Do not you agree with me,
that it is the best thing he could do, both for
himself and Mrs. Shirley ? She has cousins
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here, you know, and many acquaintance, which
would make it cheerful for her ; and I am sure
she would be glad to get to a place where she
could have medical attendance at hand, in case
of his having another seizure. Indeed, I think
it quite melancholy to have such excellent
people as Dr. and Mrs. Shirley, who have been
doing good all their lives, wearing out their last
days in a place like Uppercross, where, except-
ing our family, they seem shut out from all the
world. I wish his friends would propose it to
him. I really think they ought. And as to
procuring a dispensation, there could be no
difficulty at his time of life, and with his char-
acter. My only doubt is, whether anything
could persuade him to leave his parish. He is
so very strict and scrupulous in his notions;
over - scrupulous, I must say. Do not you
think, Anne, it is being over-scrupulous ? Do
not you think it is quite a mistaken point
of conscience, when a clergyman sacrifices his
health for the sake of duties which may be just
as well performed by another person ? And at
Lyme, too, only seventeen miles off, he would
be near enough to hear if people thought there
was anything to complain of.'
Anne smiled more than once to herself during
this speech, and entered into the subject, as
ready to do good by entering into the feelings
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of a young lady as of a young man, though here
it was good of a lower standard, for what could
be offered but general acquiescence ? She said
all that was reasonable and proper on the business ;
felt the claims of Dr. Shirley to repose as she
ought ; saw how very desirable it was that he
should have some active, respectable young man
as a resident curate, and was even courteous
enough to hint at the advantage of such resident
curate's being married.
' I wish/ said Henrietta, very well pleased
with her companion, 'I wish Lady Russell
lived at Uppercross, and were intimate with
Dr. Shirley. I have always heard of Lady
Russell as a woman of the greatest influence
with everybody ! I always look upon her as
able to persuade a person to anything! I am
afraid of her, as I told you before, quite afraid of
her, because she is so very clever ; but I respect
her amazingly, and wish we had such a neighbour
at Uppercross.'
Anne was amused by Henrietta's manner of
being grateful, and amused also that the course
of events and the new interests of Henrietta's
views should have placed her friend at all in
favour with any of the Musgrove family ; she
had only time, however, for a general answer,
and a wish that such another woman were at
Uppercross, before all subjects suddenly ceased,
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on seeing Louisa and Captain Wentworth
coming towards them. They came also for a
stroll till breakfast was likely to be ready ; but
Louisa, recollecting immediately afterwards that
she had something to procure at a shop, invited
them all to go back with her into the town.
They were all at her disposal.
When they came to the steps leading up-
wards from the beach, a gentleman, at the same
moment preparing to come down, politely drew
back, and stopped to give them way. They
ascended and passed him ; and as they passed,
Anne's face caught his eye, and he looked at
her with a degree of earnest admiration which
she could not be insensible of. She was looking
remarkably well ; her very regular, very pretty
features, having the bloom and freshness of
youth restored by the fine wind which had been
blowing on her complexion, and by the anima-
tion of eye which it had also produced. It
was evident that the gentleman (completely a
gentleman in manner) admired her exceedingly.
Captain Wentworth looked round at her in-
stantly in a way which shewed his noticing of it.
He gave her a momentary glance, a glance of
brightness, which seemed to say, ' That man is
struck with you, and even I, at this moment,
see something like Anne Elliot again.'
After attending Louisa through her business,
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and loitering about a little longer, they returned
to the inn ; and Anne, in passing afterwards
quickly from her own chamber to their dining-
room, had nearly run against the very same
gentleman, as he came out of an adjoining
apartment. She had before conjectured him to
be a stranger like themselves, and determined
that a well-looking groom, who was strolling
about near the two inns as they came back,
should be his servant. Both master and man
being in mourning assisted the idea. It was
now proved that he belonged to the same inn
as themselves ; and this second meeting, short
as it was, also proved again, by the gentleman's
looks, that he thought hers very lovely, and by
the readiness and propriety of his apologies, that
he was a man of exceedingly good manners. He
seemed about thirty, and though not handsome,
had an agreeable person. Anne felt that she
should like to know who he was.
They had nearly done breakfast, when the
sound of a carriage (almost the first they had
heard since entering Lyme) drew half the party
to the window. It was a gentleman's carriage,
a curricle, but only coming round from the
stable-yard to the front door somebody must
be going away. It was driven by a servant in
mourning.
The word curricle made Charles Musgrove
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jump up, that he might compare it with his
own; the servant in mourning roused Anne's
curiosity, and the whole six were collected to
look by the time the owner of the curricle was
to be seen issuing from the door, amidst the
bows and civilities of the household, and taking
his seat, to drive off.
6 Ah ! ' cried Captain Wentworth instantly,
and with half a glance at Anne, ' it is the very
man we passed.'
The Miss Musgroves agreed to it ; and having
all kindly watched him as far up the hill as they
could, they returned to the breakfast - table.
The waiter came into the room soon after-
wards.
* Pray,' said Captain Wentworth immediately,
' can you tell us the name of the gentleman who
is just gone away ? '
'Yes, sir, a Mr. Elliot, a gentleman of large
fortune, came in last night from Sidmouth.
Dare say you heard the carriage, sir, while
you were at dinner ; and going on now for
Crewkherne, on his way to Bath and London.'
' Elliot 1 ' Many had looked on each other,
and many had repeated the name, before all
this had been got through, even by the smart
rapidity of a waiter.
* Bless me ! ' cried Mary, ' it must be our
cousin ; it must be our Mr. Elliot, it must,
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indeed ! Charles, Anne, must not it ? In
mourning, you see, just as our Mr. Elliot must
be. How very extraordinary ! In the very
same inn with us ! Anne, must not it be our
Mr. Elliot, my father's next heir ? Pray, sir,'
turning to the waiter, 'did not you hear, did
not his servant say whether he belonged to the
Kellynch family ? '
* No, ma'am, he did not mention no particular
family ; but he said his master was a very rich
gentleman, and would be a baronight some
day.'
' There ! you see ! ' cried Mary, in an ecstasy ;
< just as I said ! Heir to Sir Walter Elliot ! I
was sure that would come out, if it was so.
Depend upon it, that is a circumstance which
his servants take care to publish, wherever he
goes. But, Anne, only conceive how extra-
ordinary ! I wish I had looked at him more.
I wish we had been aware in time who it was,
that he might have been introduced to us.
What a pity that we should not have been
introduced to each other! Do you think he
had the Elliot countenance? I hardly looked
at him, I was looking at the horses ; but I think
he had something of the Elliot countenance. I
wonder the arms did not strike me ! Oh ! the
greatcoat was hanging over the panel, and hid
the arms, so it did ; otherwise, I am sure, I
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should have observed them, and the livery too ;
if the servant had not been in mourning, one
should have known him by the livery.'
* Putting all these very extraordinary circum-
stances together,' said Captain Wentworth, ' we
must consider it to be the arrangement of
Providence that you should not be introduced
to your cousin.'
When she could command Mary's attention,
Anne quietly tried to convince her that their
father and Mr. Elliot had not, for many years,
been on such terms as to make the power of
attempting an introduction at all desirable.
At the same time, however, it was a secret
gratification to herself to have seen her cousin,
and to know that the future owner of Kellynch
was undoubtedly a gentleman, and had an air
of good sense. She would not, upon any ac-
count, mention her having met with him the
second time ; luckily Mary did not much attend
to their having passed close by him in their early
walk, but she would have felt quite ill-used by
Anne's having actually run against him in the
passage, and received his very polite excuses,
while she had never been near him at all ; no,
that cousinly little interview must remain a
perfect secret.
' Of course,' said Mary, * you will mention
our seeing Mr. Elliot the next time you write
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to Bath. I think my father certainly ought to
hear of it ; do mention all about him.'
Anne avoided a direct reply, but it was just
the circumstance which she considered as not
merely unnecessary to be communicated, but as
what ought to be suppressed. The offence which
had been given her father, many years back,
she knew : Elizabeth's particular share in it she
suspected ; and that Mr. Elliot's idea always
produced irritation in both was beyond a doubt.
Mary never wrote to Bath herself ; all the toil
of keeping up a slow and unsatisfactory corre-
spondence with Elizabeth fell on Anne.
Breakfast had not been long over when they
were joined by Captain and Mrs. Harville and
Captain Benwick, with whom they had ap-
pointed to take their last walk about Lyme.
They ought to be setting off for Uppercross
by one, and in the meanwhile were to be all
together, and out of doors as long as they could.
Anne found Captain Benwick getting near
her, as soon as they were all fairly in the street.
Their conversation the preceding evening did
not disincline him to seek her again ; and they
walked together some time, talking as before of
Mr. Scott and Lord Byron, and still as unable
as before, and as unable as any other two readers,
to think exactly alike of the merits of either,
till something occasioned an almost general
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change amongst their party, and instead of
Captain Benwick, she had Captain Harville by
her side.
'Miss Elliot,' said he, speaking rather low,
'you have done a good deed in making that
poor fellow talk so much. I wish he could
have such company oftener. It is bad for him,
I know, to be shut up as he is ; but what can
we do ? We cannot part.'
' No,' said Anne, ' that I can easily believe to
be impossible ; but in time, perhaps we know
what time does in every case of affliction, and
you must remember, Captain Harville, that your
friend may yet be called a young mourner only
last summer, I understand.'
'Ay, true enough' (with a deep sigh), 'only
June.'
'And not known to him, perhaps, so soon.'
'Not till the first week in August, when he
came home from the Cape just made into the
G-rappler. I was at Plymouth, dreading to hear
of him ; he sent in letters, but the Grappler was
under orders for Portsmouth. There the news
must follow him, but who was to tell it ? not I.
I would as soon have been run up to the yard-
arm. Nobody could do it, but that good fellow '
(pointing to Captain Wentworth). 'The Laconia
had come into Plymouth the week before ; no
danger of her being sent to sea again. He stood
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his chance for the rest wrote up for leave of
absence; but without waiting the return, travelled
night and day till he got to Portsmouth, rowed
off to the Grappler that instant, and never left
the poor fellow for a week. That's what he did,
and nobody else could have saved poor James.
You may think, Miss Elliot, whether he is dear
to us ! '
Anne did think on the question with perfect
decision, and said as much in reply as her own
feelings could accomplish, or as his seemed able
to bear, for he was too much affected to renew
the subject, and when he spoke again, it was of
something totally different.
Mrs. Harville's giving it as her opinion that
her husband would have quite walking enough
by the time he reached home, determined the
direction of all the party in what was to be their
last walk ; they would accompany them to their
door, and then return and set off themselves.
By all their calculations there was just time for
this ; but as they drew near the Cobb, there
was such a general wish to walk along it once
more, all were so inclined, and Louisa soon
grew so determined, that the difference of a
quarter of an hour, it was found, would be no
difference at all ; so with all the kind leave-
taking, and all the kind interchange of invita-
tions and promises which may be imagined, they
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parted from Captain and Mrs. Harville at their
own door, and still accompanied by Captain
Benwick, who seemed to cling to them to the
last, proceeded to make the proper adieus to the
Cobb.
Anne found Captain Benwick again drawing
near her. Lord Byron's ' dark blue seas ' could
not fail of being brought forward by their
present view, and she gladly gave him all her
attention as long as attention was possible. It
was soon drawn, perforce, another way.
There was too much wind to make the high
part of the new Cobb pleasant for the ladies,
and they agreed to get down the steps to the
lower, and all were contented to pass quietly
and carefully down the steep flight, excepting
Louisa: she must be jumped down them by
Captain Wentworth. In all their walks he had
had to jump her from the stiles ; the sensation
was delightful to her. The hardness of the
pavement for her feet made him less willing
upon the present occasion ; he did it, however.
She was safely down, and instantly to shew her
enjoyment, ran up the steps to be jumped down
again. He advised her against it, thought the
jar too great ; but no, he reasoned and talked in
vain, she smiled and said, ' I am determined I
will ' : he put out his hands ; she was too pre-
cipitate by half a second, she fell on the pave-
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ment on the Lower Cobb, and was taken up
lifeless ! There was no wound, no blood, no
visible bruise ; but her eyes were closed, she
breathed not, her face was like death. The
horror of that moment to all who stood
around !
Captain Wentworth, who had caught her up,
knelt with her in his arms, looking on her with
a face as pallid as her own in an agony of silence.
* She is dead ! she is dead ! ' screamed Mary,
catching hold of her husband, and contributing
with his own horror to make him immovable ;
and in another moment, Henrietta, sinking
under the conviction, lost her senses too, and
would have fallen on the steps but for Captain
Benwick and Anne, who caught and supported
her between them.
* Is there no one to help me ? ' were the first
words which burst from Captain Wentworth,
in a tone of despair, and as if all his own strength
were gone.
6 Qo to him, go to him,' cried Anne, 'for
heaven's sake go to him. I can support her
myself. Leave me, and go to him. Rub her
hands, rub her temples ; here are salts : take
them, take them.'
Captain Benwick obeyed, and Charles at the
same moment disengaging himself from his wife,
they were both with him ; and Louisa was raised
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up and supported more firmly between them, and
everything was done that Anne had prompted,
but in vain ; while Captain Wentworth, stagger-
ing against the wall for his support, exclaimed
in the bitterest agony
' Oh God ! her father and mother ! '
6 A surgeon ! ' said Anne.
He caught the word : it seemed to rouse him
at once; and saying only 'True, true, a sur-
geon this instant,' was darting away, when Anne
eagerly suggested
* Captain Benwick, would not it be better for
Captain Benwick ? He knows where a surgeon
is to be found.'
Every one capable of thinking felt the advan-
tage of the idea, and in a moment (it was all
done in rapid moments) Captain Benwick had
resigned the poor corpse-like figure entirely to
the brother's care, and was off for the town with
the utmost rapidity.
As to the wretched party left behind, it could
scarcely be said which of the three, who were
completely rational, was suffering most : Captain
Wentworth, Anne, or Charles, who, really a very
affectionate brother, hung over Louisa with sobs
of grief, and could only turn his eyes from one
sister to see the other in a state as insensible, or
to witness the hysterical agitations of his wife,
calling on him for help which he could not give.
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Anne, attending with all the strength, and
zeal, and thought, which instinct supplied, to
Henrietta, still tried, at intervals, to suggest
comfort to the others, tried to quiet Mary, to
animate Charles, to assuage the feelings of Cap-
tain Wentworth. Both seemed to look to her
for directions.
'Anne, Anne,' cried Charles, 'what is to be
done next ? What, in heaven's name, is to be
done next ? '
Captain Wentworth 's eyes were also turned
towards her.
' Had not she better be carried to the inn ?
'Yes, I am sure : carry her gently to the inn.'
' Yes, yes, to the inn,' repeated Captain
Wentworth, comparatively collected, and eager
to be doing something. ' I will carry her my-
self. Musgrove, take care of the others.'
By this time the report of the accident had
spread among the workmen and boatmen about
the Cobb, and many were collected near them,
to be useful if wanted ; at any rate, to enjoy the
sight of a dead young lady, nay, two dead young
ladies, for it proved twice as fine as the first
report. To some of the best-looking of these
good people Henrietta was consigned, for,
though partially revived, she was quite help-
less ; and in this manner, Anne walking by her
side, and Charles attending to his wife, they set
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forward, treading back, with feelings unutter-
able, the ground which so lately, so very lately,
and so light of heart, they had passed along.
They were not off the Cobb before the Har-
villes met them. Captain Benwick had been
seen flying by their house, with a countenance
which shewed something to be wrong ; and they
had set off immediately, informed and directed
as they passed, towards the spot. Shocked as
Captain Harville was, he brought senses and
nerves that could be instantly useful ; and a
look between him and his wife decided what
was to be done. She must be taken to their
house ; all must go to their house, and wait the
surgeon's arrival there. They would not listen
to scruples : he was obeyed : they were all
beneath his roof ; and while Louisa, under Mrs.
Harville 's direction, was conveyed upstairs, and
given possession of her own bed, assistance,
cordials, restoratives were supplied by her
husband to all who needed them.
Louisa had once opened her eyes, but soon
closed them again, without apparent conscious-
ness. This had been a proof of life, however,
of service to her sister ; and Henrietta, though
perfectly incapable of being in the same room
with Louisa, was kept, by the agitation of hope
and fear, from a return of her own insensibility.
Mary, too, was growing calmer.
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The surgeon was with them almost before it
had seemed possible. They were sick with
horror while he examined ; but he was/iiot
hopeless. The head had received a severe con-
tusion, but he had seen greater injuries recovered
from : he was by no means hopeless ; he spoke
cheerfully.
That he did not regard it as a desperate case,
that he did not say a few hours must end it,
was at first felt beyond the hope of most; and
the ecstasy of such a reprieve, the rejoicing, deep
and silent, after a few fervent ejaculations of
gratitude to Heaven had been offered, may be
conceived.
The tone, the look, with which Thank God !'
was uttered by Captain Wentworth, Anne was
sure could never be forgotten by her ; nor the
sight of him afterwards, as he sat near a table,
leaning over it with folded arms, and face con-
cealed, as if overpowered by the various feelings
of his soul, and trying by prayer and reflection
to calm them.
Louisa's limbs had escaped. There was no
injury but to the head.
It now became necessary for the party to
consider what was best to be done, as to their
general situation. They were now able to speak
to each other and consult. That Louisa must
remain where she was, however distressing to
10 L* 165
PERSUASION
her friends to be involving the Harvilles in such
trouble, did not admit a doubt. Her removal
was impossible. The Harvilles silenced all
scruples, and, as much as they could, all grati-
tude. They had looked forward and arranged
everything before the others began to reflect.
Captain Benwick must give up his room to
them and get a bed elsewhere ; and the whole
was settled. They were only concerned that
the house could accommodate no more ; and
yet, perhaps, by * putting the children away in
the maid's room, or swinging a cot somewhere,'
they could hardly bear to think of not finding
room for two or three besides, supposing they
might wish to stay ; though, with regard to any
attendance on Miss Musgrove, there need not
be the least uneasiness in leaving her to Mrs.
Harville's care entirely. Mrs. Harville was a
very experienced nurse, and her nursery-maid,
who had lived with her long, and gone about
with her everywhere, was just such another.
Between these two she could want no possible
attendance by day or night. And all this
was said with a truth and sincerity of feeling
irresistible.
Charles, Henrietta, and Captain Wentworth
were the three in consultation, and for a little
while it was only an interchange of perplexity and
terror. ' Uppercross, the necessity of some one's
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going to Uppercross ; the news to be conveyed ;
how it could be broken to Mr. and Mrs. Mus-
grove; the lateness of the morning; an hour
already gone since they ought to have been
off; the impossibility of being in tolerable time.'
At first they were capable of nothing more to
the purpose than such exclamations ; but after
a while Captain Wentworth, exerting himself,
said
' We must be decided, and without the loss
of another minute. Every minute is valuable.
Some one must resolve on being off for Upper-
cross instantly. Musgrove, either you or I
must go.'
Charles agreed, but declared his resolution of
not going away. He would be as little encum-
brance as possible to Captain and Mrs. Harville ;
but as to leaving his sister in such a state, he
neither ought nor would. So far it was decided ;
and Henrietta at first declared the same. She,
however, was soon persuaded to think differently. <-
The usefulness of her staying ! She, who had
not been able to remain in Louisa's room, or to
look at her, without sufferings which made her
worse than helpless ! She was forced to acknow-
ledge that she could do no good, yet was still
unwilling to be away, till, touched by the
thought of her father and mother, she gave it up :
she consented, she was anxious to be at home.
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The plan had reached this point, when Anne,
coming quietly down from Louisa's room, could
not but hear what followed, for the parlour door
was open.
6 Then it is settled, Musgrove,' cried Captain
Wentworth, 'that you stay, and that I take
care of your sister home. But as to the rest, as
to the others, if one stays to assist Mrs. Harville,
I think it need be only one. Mrs. Charles Mus-
grove will, of course, wish to get back to her
children ; but if Anne will stay, no one so
proper, so capable as Anne.'
She paused a moment to recover from the
emotion of hearing herself so spoken of. The
other two warmly agreed to what he said, and
she then appeared.
* You will stay, I am sure ; you will stay and
nurse her,' cried he, turning to her and speaking
with a glow, and yet a gentleness, which seemed
almost restoring the past. She coloured deeply,
and he recollected himself and moved away.
She expressed herself most willing, ready, happy
to remain. * It was what she had been thinking
of, and wishing to be allowed to do. A bed on
the floor in Louisa's room would be sufficient
for her, if Mrs. Harville would but think so.'
One thing more, and all seemed arranged.
Though it was rather desirable that Mr. and
Mrs. Musgrove should be previously alarmed by
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some share of delay, yet the time required by
the Uppercross horses to take them back would
be a dreadful extension of suspense ; and Captain
Wentworth proposed, and Charles Musgrove
agreed, that it would be much better for him to
take a chaise from the inn, and leave Mr. Mus-
grove's carriage and horses to be sent home the
next morning early, when there could be the
farther advantage of sending an account of
Louisa's night.
Captain Wentworth now hurried off to get
everything ready on his part, and to be soon
followed by the two ladies. When the plan
was made known to Mary, however, there was
an end of all peace in it. She was so wretched,
and so vehement, complained so much of in-
justice in being expected to go away instead of
Anne : Anne, who was nothing to Louisa, while
she was her sister, and had the best right to
stay in Henrietta's stead ! Why was not she
to be as useful as Anne? And to go home
without Charles, too, without her husband!
No, it was too unkind. And, in short, she said
more than her husband could long withstand ;
and as none of the others could oppose when he
gave way, there was no help for it : the change
of Mary for Anne was inevitable.
Anne had never submitted more reluctantly
to the jealous and ill-judging claims of Mary;
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PERSUASION
but so it must be, and they set off for the town,
Charles taking care of his sister, and Captain
Benwick attending to her. She gave a moment's
recollection, as they hurried along, to the little
circumstances which the same spots had wit-
nessed earlier in the morning. There she had
listened to Henrietta's schemes for Dr. Shirley's
leaving Uppercross ; farther on, she had first
seen Mr. Elliot ; a moment seemed all that
could now be given to any one but Louisa, or
those who were wrapped up in her welfare.
Captain Benwick was most considerately
attentive to her; and, united as they all seemed
by the distress of the day, she felt an increasing
degree of goodwill towards him, and a pleasure
even in thinking that it might, perhaps, be the
occasion of continuing their acquaintance.
Captain Went worth was on the watch for
them, and a chaise-and-four in waiting, stationed
for their convenience in the lowest part of the
street ; but his evident surprise and vexation
at the substitution of one sister for the other,
the change of his countenance, the astonishment,
the expressions begun and suppressed, with
which Charles was listened to, made but a
mortifying reception of Anne ; or must at least
convince her that she was valued only as she
could be useful to Louisa.
She endeavoured to be composed, and to be
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just. Without emulating the feelings of an
Emma towards her Henry, she would have
attended on Louisa with a zeal above the
common claims of regard, for his sake ; and she
hoped he would not long be so unjust as to
suppose she would shrink unnecessarily from
the office of a friend.
In the meanwhile she was in the carriage.
He had handed them both in, and placed him-
self between them ; and in this manner, under
these circumstances, full of astonishment and
emotion to Anne, she quitted Lyme. How the
long stage would pass ; how it was to affect their
manners; what was to be their sort of inter-
course, she could not foresee. It was all quite
natural, however. He was devoted to Henrietta,
always turning towards her ; and when he spoke
at all, always with the view of supporting her
hopes and raising her spirits. In general, his
voice and manner were studiously calm. To
spare Henrietta from agitation seemed the
governing principle. Once only, when she had
been grieving over the last ill-judged, ill-fated
walk to the Cobb, bitterly lamenting that it
ever had been thought of, he burst forth, as if
wholly overcome
6 Don't talk of it, don't talk of it,' he cried.
* Oh God ! that I had not given way to her at
the fatal moment 1 Had I done as I ought I
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PERSUASION
But so eager and so resolute ! Dear, sweet
Louisa ! '
Anne wondered whether it ever occurred to
him now, to question the justness of his own
previous opinion as to the universal felicity
and advantage of firmness of character; and
whether it might not strike him that, like all
other qualities of the mind, it should have its
proportions and limits. She thought it could
scarcely escape him to feel that a persuadable
temper might sometimes be as much in favour
of happiness as a very resolute character.
They got on fast. Anne was astonished to
recognise the same hills and the same objects
so soon. Their actual speed, heightened by
some dread of the conclusion, made the road
appear but half as long as on the day before.
It was growing quite dusk, however, before they
were in the neighbourhood of Uppercross, and
there had been total silence among them for
some time, Henrietta leaning back in the corner,
with a shawl over her face, giving the hope of
her having cried herself to sleep ; when, as they
were going up their last hill, Anne found herself
all at once addressed by Captain Wentworth.
In a low, cautious voice, he said
* I have been considering what we had best
do. She must not appear at first. She could
not stand it. I have been thinking whether
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PERSUASION
you had not better remain in the carriage with
her, while I go in and break it to Mr. and Mrs.
Musgrove. Do you think this a good plan ? '
She did : he was satisfied, and said no more.
But the remembrance of the appeal remained a
pleasure to her as a proof of friendship, and of
deference for her judgment, a great pleasure ;
and when it became a sort of parting proof, its
value did not lessen.
When the distressing communication at
Uppercross was over, and he had seen the
father and mother quite as composed as could
be hoped, and the daughter all the better for
being with them, he announced his intention of
returning in the same carriage to Lyme ; and
when the horses were baited, he was off.
CHAPTER XIII
THE remainder of Anne's time 'at Uppercross,
comprehending only two days, was spent entirely
at the Mansion-house ; and she had the satis-
faction of knowing herself extremely useful
there, both as an immediate companion, and as
assisting in all those arrangements for the future,
which, in Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove's distressed
state of spirits, would have been difficulties.
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They had an early account from Lyme the
next morning. Louisa was much the same.
No symptoms worse than before had appeared.
Charles came a few hours afterwards to bring
a later and more particular account. He was
tolerably cheerful. A speedy cure must not be
hoped, but everything was going on as well as
the nature of the case admitted. In speaking
of the Harvilles, he seemed unable to satisfy his
own sense of their kindness, especially of Mrs.
Harville's exertions as a nurse. * She really left
nothing for Mary to do. He and Mary had
been persuaded to go early to their inn last
night. Mary had been hysterical again this
morning. When he came away, she was going
to walk out with Captain Benwick, which he
hoped would do her good. He almost wished
she had been prevailed on to come home the day
before ; but the truth was, that Mrs. Harville
left nothing for anybody to do.'
Charles was to return to Lyme the same
afternoon, and his father had at first half a mind
to go with him, but the ladies could not consent
It would be going only to multiply trouble to
the others, and increase his own distress ; and a
much better scheme followed, and was acted
upon. A chaise was sent for from Crewkherne,
and Charles conveyed back a far more useful
person in the old nursery-maid of the family,
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one who, having brought up all the children,
and seen the very last, the lingering and long-
petted Master Harry, sent to school after his
brothers, was now living in her deserted nursery
to mend stockings, and dress all the blains and
bruises she could get near her, and who, conse-
quently, was only too happy in being allowed to
go and help nurse dear Miss Louisa. Vague
wishes of getting Sarah thither had occurred
before to Mrs. Musgrove and Henrietta; but
without Anne, it would hardly have been
resolved on and found practicable so soon.
They were indebted, the next day, to Charles
Hayter, for all the minute knowledge of Louisa,
which it was so essential to obtain every twenty-
four hours. He made it his business to go to
Lyme, and his account was still encouraging.
The intervals of sense and consciousness were
believed to be stronger. Every report agreed
in Captain Wentworth's appearing fixed in
Lyme.
Anne was to leave them on the morrow, an
event which they all dreaded. * What should
they do without her ? They were wretched
comforters for one another.' And so much was
said in this way, that Anne thought she could
not do better than impart among them the
general inclination to which she was privy, and
persuade them all to go to Lyme at once. She
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PERSUASION
had little difficulty ; it was soon determined
that they would go : go to-morrow, fix them-
selves at the inn, or get into lodgings, as it
suited, and there remain till dear Louisa could
be moved. They must be taking off some
trouble from the good people she was with :
they might at least relieve Mrs. Harville from
the care of her own children ; and, in short, they
were so happy in the decision, that Anne was
delighted with what she had done, and felt that
she could not spend her last morning at Upper-
cross better than in assisting their preparations,
and sending them off at an early hour, though
her being left to the solitary range of the house
was the consequence.
She was the last, excepting the little boys at
the Cottage, she was the very last, the only
remaining one of all that had filled and animated
both houses, of all that had given Uppercross
its cheerful character. A few days had made
a change indeed !
If Louisa recovered, it would all be well
again. More than former happiness would be
restored. There could not be a doubt, to her
mind there was none, of what would follow her
recovery. A few months hence and the room
now so deserted, occupied but by her silent,
pensive self, might be filled again with all that
was happy and gay, all that was glowing and
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PERSUASION
bright in prosperous love, all that was most
unlike Anne Elliot !
An hour's complete leisure for such reflections
as these, on a dark November day, a small thick
rain almost blotting out the very few objects
ever to be discerned from the windows, was
enough to make the sound of Lady Russell's
carriage exceedingly welcome ; and yet, though
desirous to be gone, she could not quit the
Mansion-house, or look an adieu to the Cottage,
with its black, dripping, and comfortless viranda,
or even notice through the misty glasses the last
humble tenements of the village, without a
saddened heart. Scenes had passed in Upper-
cross which made it precious. It stood the
record of many sensations of pain, once severe,
but now softened; and of some instances of
relenting feeling, some breathings of friendship
and reconciliation, which could never be looked
for again, and which could never cease to be
dear. She left it all behind her, all but the
recollection that such things had been.
Anne had never entered Kellynch since her
quitting Lady Russell's house in September.
It had not been necessary, and the few occa-
sions of its being possible for her to go to the
Hall she had contrived to evade and escape
from. Her first return was to resume her
place in the modern and elegant apartments
10 M 177
PERSUASION
of the Lodge, and to gladden the eyes of its
mistress.
There was some anxiety mixed with Lady
Russell's joy in meeting her. She knew who
had been frequenting Uppercross. But happily,
either Anne was improved in plumpness and
looks, or Lady Russell fancied her so ; and
Anne, in receiving her compliments on the
occasion, had the amusement of connecting them
with the silent admiration of her cousin, and of
hoping that she was to be blessed with a second
spring of youth and beauty.
When they came to converse, she was soon
sensible of some mental change. The subjects
of which her heart had been full on leaving
Kellynch, and which she had felt slighted, and
been compelled to smother, among the Mus-
groves, were now become but of secondary in-
terest. She had lately lost sight even of her
father, and sister, and Bath. Their concerns
had been sunk under those of Uppercross ; and
when Lady Russell reverted to their former
hopes and fears, and spoke her satisfaction in
the house in Camden Place which had been
taken, and her regret that Mrs. Clay should still
be with them, Anne would have been ashamed
to have it known how much more she was
thinking of Lyme and Louisa Musgrove, and
all her acquaintance there ; how much more
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interesting to her was the home and the friend-
ship of the Harvilles and Captain Benwick than
her own father's house in Camden Place, or her
own sister's intimacy with Mrs. Clay. She was
actually forced to exert herself to meet Lady
Russell with anything like the appearance of
equal solicitude, on topics which had by nature
the first claim on her.
There was a little awkwardness at first in
their discourse on another subject. They must
speak of the accident at Lyme. Lady Russell
had not been arrived five minutes the day before,
when a full account of the whole had burst on
her ; but still it must be talked of, she must
make inquiries, she must regret the imprudence,
lament the result, and Captain Wentworth's
name must be mentioned by both. Anne was
conscious of not doing it so well as Lady
Russell. She could not speak the name, and
look straight forward to Lady Russell's eye,
till she had adopted the expedient of telling
her briefly what she thought of the attachment
between him and Louisa. When this was told,
his name distressed her no longer.
Lady Russell had only to listen composedly,
and wish them happy, but internally her heart
revelled in angry pleasure, in pleased contempt,
that the man who at twenty-three had seemed
to understand somewhat of the value of an
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Anne Elliot, should, eight years afterwards, be
charmed by a Louisa Musgrove.
The first three or four days passed most
quietly, with no circumstance to mark them
excepting the receipt of a note or two from
Lyme, which found their way to Anne, she
could not tell how, and brought a rather im-
proving account of Louisa. At the end of that
period, Lady Russell's politeness could repose
no longer, and the fainter self-threatenings of
the past became in a decided tone, * I must call
on Mrs. Croft ; I really must call upon her
soon. Anne, have you courage to go with me
and pay a visit in that house ? It will be some
trial to us both.'
Anne did not shrink from it : on the contrary,
she truly felt as she said, in observing
' I think you are very likely to suffer the
most of the two ; your feelings are less recon-
ciled to the change than mine. By remaining
in the neighbourhood, I am become inured to it.'
She could have said more on the subject, for
she had in fact so high an opinion of the Crofts,
and considered her father so very fortunate hi
his tenants, felt the parish to be so sure of a
good example, and the poor of the best attention
and relief, that however sorry and ashamed for
the necessity of the removal, she could not
but in conscience feel that they were gone who
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deserved not to stay, and that Kellynch Hall had
passed into better hands than its owners. These
convictions must unquestionably have their own
pain, and severe was its kind ; but they pre-
cluded that pain which Lady Russell would
suffer in entering the house again, and return-
ing through the well-known apartments.
In such moments Anne had no power of say-
ing to herself, ' These rooms ought to belong
only to us. Oh, how fallen in their destination !
how unworthily occupied 1 An ancient family
to be so driven away ! Strangers filling their
place 1 ' No, except when she thought of her
mother, and remembered where she had been
used to sit and preside, she had no sigh of that
description to heave.
Mrs. Croft always met her with a kindness
which gave her the pleasure of fancying herself
a favourite, and on the present occasion, receiving
her in that house, there was particular attention.
The sad accident at Lyme was soon the
prevailing topic, and on comparing their latest
accounts of the invalid, it appeared that each
lady dated her intelligence from the same hour
of yestermorn; that Captain Wentworth had
been in Kellynch yesterday (the first time since
the accident), had brought Anne the last note,
which she had not been able to trace the exact
steps of, had staid a few hours, and then returned
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again to Lyme, and without any present inten-
tion of quitting it any more. He had inquired
after her, she found, particularly ; had expressed
his hope of Miss Elliot's not being the worse for
her exertions, and had spoken of those exertions
as great. This was handsome, and gave her
more pleasure than almost anything else could
have done.
As to the sad catastrophe itself, it could be
canvassed only in one style by a couple of steady,
sensible women, whose judgments had to work
on ascertained events ; and it was perfectly
decided that it had been the consequence of
much thoughtlessness and much imprudence ;
that its effects were most alarming, and that it
was frightful to think how long Miss Musgrove's
recovery might yet be doubtful, and how liable
she would still remain to suffer from the con-
cussion hereafter ! The Admiral wound it all
up summarily by exclaiming
'Ay, a very bad business, indeed. A new
sort of way this, for a young fellow to be making
love, by breaking his mistress's head, is not it,
Miss Elliot ? This is breaking a head and giving
a plaster, truly ! '
Admiral Croft's manners were not quite of
the tone to suit Lady Russell, but they delighted
Anne. His goodness of heart and simplicity of
character were irresistible.
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'Now, this must be very bad for you,' said
he, suddenly rousing from a little reverie, 'to
be coming and finding us here. I had not
recollected it before, I declare, but it must be
very bad. But now, do not stand upon ceremony.
Get up and go over all the rooms in the house,
if you like it.'
'Another time, sir, I thank you ; not now.'
'Well, whenever it suits you. You can slip
in from the shrubbery at any time ; and there
you will find we keep our umbrellas hanging up
by that door. A good place, is not it ? But '
(checking himself), ' you will not think it a good
place, for yours were always kept in the butler's
room. Ay, so it always is, I believe. One
man's ways may be as good as another's, but we
all like our own best; and so you must judge
for yourself, whether it would be better for you
to go about the house or not.'
Anne, finding she might decline it, did so
very gratefully.
'We have made very few changes either,'
continued the Admiral, after thinking a moment.
' Very few. We told you about the laundry-
door at Uppercross. That has been a very great
improvement. The wonder was, how any family
upon earth could bear with the inconvenience
of its opening as it did so long ! You will tell
Sir Walter what we have done, and that Mr.
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Shepherd thinks it the greatest improvement
the house ever had. Indeed, I must do our-
selves the justice to say, that the few alterations
we have made have been all very much for the
better. My wife should have the credit of them,
however. I have done very little besides sending
away some of the large looking-glasses from my
dressing-room, which was your father's. A very
good man, and very much the gentleman, I am
sure ; but I should think, Miss Elliot ' (looking
with serious reflection), ' I should think he must
be rather a dressy man for his time of life. Such
a number of looking-glasses ! oh Lord ! there
was no getting away from oneself. So I got
Sophy to lend me a hand, and we soon shifted
their quarters ; and now I am quite snug, with
my little shaving-glass in one corner, and another
great thing that I never go near/
Anne, amused in spite of herself, was rather
distressed for an answer ; and the Admiral, fear-
ing he might not have been civil enough, took
up the subject again, to say
' The next time you write to your good father,
Miss Elliot, pray give my compliments and
Mrs. Croft's, and say that we are settled here
quite to our liking, and have no fault at all
to find with the place. The breakfast - room
chimney smokes a little, I grant you, but it is
only when the wind is due north and blows
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hard, which may not happen three times a
winter. And take it altogether, now that we
have been into most of the houses hereabouts
xlind can judge, there is not one that we like
better than this. Pray say so, with my compli-
ments. He will be glad to hear it.'
Lady Russell and Mrs. Croft were very well
pleased with each other : but the acquaintance
which this visit began was fated not to proceed
far at present; for when it was returned, the
Crofts announced themselves to be going away
for a few weeks, to visit their connexions in the
north of the county, and probably might not be
at home again before Lady Russell would be
removing to Bath.
So ended all danger to Anne of meeting
Captain Wentworth at Kellynch Hall, or of
seeing him in company with her friend. Every-
thing was safe enough, and she smiled over the
many anxious feelings she had wasted on the
subject.
CHAPTER XIV
THOUGH Charles and Mary had remained at
Lyme much longer after Mr. and Mrs. Mus-
grove's going than Anne conceived they could
have been at all wanted, they were yet the first
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of the family to be at home again ; and as soon
as possible after their return to Uppercross they
drove over to the Lodge. They had left Louisa
beginning to sit up ; but her head, though clear,
was exceedingly weak, and her nerves suscep-
tible to the highest extreme of tenderness ; and
though she might be pronounced to be alto-
gether doing very well, it was still impossible to
say when she might be able to bear the removal
home ; and her father and mother, who must
return in time to receive their younger children
for the Christmas holidays, had hardly a hope
of being allowed to bring her with them.
They had been all in lodgings together.
Mrs. Musgrove had got Mrs. Harville's children
away as much as she could, every possible supply
from Uppercross had been furnished, to lighten
the inconvenience to the Harvilles, while the
Harvilles had been wanting them to come to
dinner every day : and, in short, it seemed
to have been only a struggle on each side, as
to which should be most disinterested and hos-
pitable.
Mary had had her evils ; but upon the whole,
as was evident by her staying so long, she had
found more to enjoy than to suffer. Charles
Hayter had been at Lyme oftener than suited
her ; and when they dined with the Harvilles,
there had been only a maid-servant to wait, and
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at first Mrs. Harville had always given Mrs.
Musgrove precedence ; but then she had received
so very handsome an apology from her on find-
ing out whose daughter she was, and there had
been so much going on every day, there had
been so many walks between their lodgings and
the Harvilles, and she had got books from the
library, and changed them so often, that the
balance had certainly been much in favour of
Lyme. She had been taken to Charmouth too,
and she had bathed, and she had gone to church,
and there were a great many more people to
look at in the church at Lyme than at Upper-
cross ; and all this, joined to the sense of being
so very useful, had made really an agreeable
fortnight.
Anne inquired after Captain Benwick. Mary's
face was clouded directly. Charles laughed.
* Oh ! Captain Benwick is very well, I believe,
but he is a very odd young man. I do not
know what he would be at. We asked him to
come home with us for a day or two : Charles
undertook to give him some shooting, and he
seemed quite delighted, and, for my part, I
thought it was all settled, when, behold ! on
Tuesday night, he made a very awkward sort of
an excuse ; " he never shot," and he had " been
quite misunderstood," and he had promised this
and he had promised that, and the end of it was,
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I found, that he did not mean to come. I
suppose he was afraid of finding it dull; but
upon my word, I should have thought we were
lively enough at the Cottage for such a heart-
broken man as Captain Benwick/
Charles laughed again, and said, * Now, Mary,
you know very well how it really was. It
was all your doing ' (turning to Anne). ' He
fancied that if he went with us he should find
you close by : he fancied everybody to be living
in Uppercross ; and when he discovered that
Lady Russell lived three miles off, his heart
failed him, and he had not courage to come.
That is the fact, upon my honour. Mary knows
it is.'
But Mary did not give in to it very graciously,
whether from not considering Captain Benwick
entitled by birth and situation to be in love
with an Elliot, or from not wanting to believe
Anne a greater attraction to Uppercross than
herself, must be left to be guessed. Anne's
goodwill, however, was not to be lessened by
what she heard. She boldly acknowledged her-
self flattered, and continued her inquiries.
* Oh ! he talks of you,' cried Charles, ( in such
terms ' Mary interrupted him. ' I declare,
Charles, I never heard him mention Anne twice
all the time I was there. I declare, Anne, he
never talks of you at all.'
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* No,' admitted Charles, * I do not know that
he ever does, in a general way ; but, however, it
is a very clear thing that he admires you ex-
ceedingly. His head is full of some books that
he is reading upon your recommendation, and
he wants to talk to you about them ; he has
found out something or other in one of them
which he thinks oh ! I cannot pretend to re-
member it, but it was something very fine I
overheard him telling Henrietta all about it;
and then " Miss Elliot " was spoken of in the
highest terms ! Now, Mary, I declare it was so,
I heard it myself, and you were in the other
room. " Elegance, sweetness, beauty." Oh !
there was no end of Miss Elliot's charms.'
* And I am sure,' cried Mary warmly, ' it was
very little to his credit if he did. Miss Harville
only died last June. Such a heart is very little
worth having, is it, Lady Russell ? I am sure
you will agree with me.'
* I must see Captain Ben wick before I decide,'
said Lady Russell, smiling.
'And that you are very likely to do very
soon, I can tell you, ma'am,' said Charles.
' Though he had not nerves for coming away
with us, and setting off again afterwards to pay
a formal visit here, he will make his way over
to Kellynch one day by himself, you may depend
on it. I told him the distance and the road,
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and I told him of the church's being so very
well worth seeing ; for as he has a taste for those
sort of things, I thought that would be a good
excuse, and he listened with all his understand-
ing and soul ; and I am sure, from his manner,
that you will have him calling here soon. So
I give you notice, Lady Russell.'
* Any acquaintance of Anne's will be always
welcome to me,' was Lady Russell's kind answer.
* Oh ! as to being Anne's acquaintance,' said
Mary, * I think he is rather my acquaintance,
for I have been seeing him every day this last
fortnight.'
'Well, as your joint acquaintance, then, I
shall be very happy to see Captain Ben wick.'
'You will not find anything very agreeable
in him, I assure you, ma'am. He is one of the
dullest young men that ever lived. He has
walked with me, sometimes, from one end of
the sands to the other, without saying a word.
He is not at all a well-bred young man. I am
sure you will not like him.'
* There we differ, Mary,' said Anne. * I think
Lady Russell would like him. I think she
would be so much pleased with his mind, that
she would very soon see no deficiency in his
manner.'
' So do I, Anne,' said Charles. * I am sure
Lady Russell would like him. He is just Lady
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Russell's sort. Give him a book, and he will
read all day long.'
' Yes, that he will ! ' exclaimed Mary taunt-
ingly. 'He will sit poring over his book,
and not know when a person speaks to him,
or when one drops one's scissors, or anything
that happens. Do you think Lady Russell
would like that ? '
Lady Russell could not help laughing.
* Upon my word,' said she, * I should not have
supposed that my opinion of any one could
have admitted of such difference of conjecture,
steady and matter-of-fact as I may call myself.
I have really a curiosity to see the person
who can give occasion to such directly opposite
notions. I wish he may be induced to call here.
And when he does, Mary, you may depend
upon hearing my opinion ; but I am determined
not to judge him beforehand.*
' You will not like him ; I will answer for it.'
Lady Russell began talking of something
else. Mary spoke with animation of their
meeting with, or rather missing, Mr. Elliot so
extraordinarily.
'He is a man,' said Lady Russell, 'whom I
have no wish to see. His declining to be on
cordial terms with the head of his family has
left a very strong impression in his disfavour
with me/
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This decision checked Mary's eagerness, and
stopped her short in the midst of the Elliot
countenance.
With regard to Captain Wentworth, though
Anne hazarded no inquiries, there was voluntary
communication sufficient. His spirits had been
greatly recovering lately, as might be expected.
As Louisa improved, he had improved, and he
was now quite a different creature from what
he had been the first week. He had not seen
Louisa : and was so extremely fearful of any ill
consequence to her from an interview, that he
did not press for it at all ; and, on the contrary,
seemed to have a plan of going away for a week
or ten days, till her head was stronger. He had
talked of going down to Plymouth for a week,
and wanted to persuade Captain Benwick to
go with him ; but, as Charles maintained to the
last, Captain Benwick seemed much more dis-
posed to ride over to Kellynch.
There can be no doubt that Lady Russell
and Anne were both occasionally thinking of
Captain Benwick from this time. Lady Russell
could not hear the door-bell without feeling that
it might be his herald ; nor could Anne return
from any stroll of solitary indulgence in her
father's grounds, or any visit of charity in the
village, without wondering whether she might
see him or hear of him. Captain Benwick came
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not, however. He was either less disposed for
it than Charles had imagined, or he was too
shy ; and after giving him a week's indulgence,
Lady Russell determined him to be unworthy
of the interest which he had been beginning
to excite.
The Musgroves came back to receive their
happy boys and girls from school, bringing with
them Mrs. Harville's little children, to improve
the noise of Uppercross, and lessen that of
Lyme. Henrietta remained with Louisa, but
all the rest of the family were again in their
usual quarters.
Lady Russell and Anne paid their compli-
ments to them once, when Anne could not but
feel that Uppercross was already quite alive
again. Though neither Henrietta, nor Louisa,
nor Charles Hayter, nor Captain Wentworth
were there, the room presented as strong a
contrast as could be wished to the last state
she had seen it in.
Immediately surrounding Mrs. Musgrove
were the little Harvilles, whom she was sedu-
lously guarding from the tyranny of the two
children from the Cottage, expressly arrived to
amuse them. On one side was a table occupied
by some chattering girls, cutting up silk and
gold paper ; and on the other were tressels and
trays, bending under the weight of brawn and
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cold pies, where riotous boys were holding high
revel ; the whole completed by a roaring Christ-
mas fire, which seemed determined to be heard
in spite of all the noise of the others. Charles
and Mary also came in, of course, during their
visit ; and Mr. Musgrove made a point of paying
his respects to Lady Russell, and sat down close
to her for ten minutes, talking with a very raised
voice, but from the clamour of the children on
his knees, generally in vain. It was a fine
family-piece.
Anne, judging from her own temperament,
would have deemed such a domestic hurricane
a bad restorative of the nerves, which Louisa's
illness must have so greatly shaken. But Mrs.
Musgrove, who got Anne near her on purpose
to thank her most cordially, again and again,
for all her attentions to them, concluded a short
recapitulation of what she had suffered herself,
by observing, with a happy glance round the
room, that after all she had gone through, no-
thing was so likely to do her good as a little
quiet cheerfulness at home.
Louisa was now recovering apace. Her
mother could even think of her being able to
join their party at home, before her brothers
and sisters went to school again. The Harvilles
had promised to come with her and stay at
Uppercross whenever she returned. Captain
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Wentworth was gone for the present, to see his
brother in Shropshire.
' I hope I shall remember, in future/ said
Lady Russell, as soon as they were reseated in
the carriage, ' not to call at Uppercross in the
Christmas holidays/
Everybody has their taste in noises as well as
in other matters ; and sounds are quite innoxious
or most distressing, by their sort rather than
their quantity. When Lady Russell, not long
afterwards, was entering Bath on a wet after-
noon, and driving through the long course of
streets from the Old Bridge to Camden Place,
amidst the dash of other carriages, the heavy
rumble of carts and drays, the bawling of news-
men, muffin-men, and milkmen, and the cease-
less clink of pattens, she made no complaint.
No, these were noises which belonged to the
winter pleasures : her spirits rose under their
influence; and like Mrs. Musgrove, she was
feeling, though not saying, that after being long
in the country, nothing could be so good for
her as a little quiet cheerfulness.
Anne did not share these feelings. She per-
sisted hi a very determined, though very silent
disinclination for Bath ; caught the first dim
view of the extensive buildings, smoking in rain,
without any wish of seeing them better; felt
their progress through the streets to be, however
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disagreeable, yet too rapid ; for who would be
glad to see her when she arrived ? Anne looked
back with fond regret to the bustles of Upper-
cross and the seclusion of Kellynch.
Elizabeth's last letter had communicated a
piece of news of some interest. Mr. Elliot was
in Bath. He had called in Camden Place ; had
called a second time, a third ; had been point-
edly attentive : if Elizabeth and her father did
not deceive themselves, had been taking as
much pains to seek the acquaintance, and pro-
claim the value of the connexion, as he had
formerly taken pains to shew neglect. This
was very wonderful if it were true ; and Lady
Russell was in a state of very agreeable curiosity
and perplexity about Mr. Elliot, already recant-
ing the sentiment she had so lately expressed
to Mary, of his being 'a man whom she had
no wish to see.' She had a great wish to see
him. If he really sought to reconcile himself
like a dutiful branch, he must be forgiven for
having dismembered himself from the paternal
tree.
Anne was not animated to an equal pitch by
the circumstance, but she felt that she would
rather see Mr. Elliot again than not, which was
more than she could say for many other persons
in Bath.
She was put down in Camden Place, and
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Lady Russell then drove to her own lodgings in
Rivers Street.
CHAPTER XV
SIR WALTER had taken a very good house in
Camden Place, a lofty dignified situation, such
as becomes a man of consequence ; and both he
and Elizabeth were settled there, much to their
satisfaction.
Anne entered it with a sinking heart, antici-
pating an imprisonment of many months, and
anxiously saying to herself, * Oh ! when shall I
leave you again ? ' A degree of unexpected
cordiality, however, in the welcome she received,
did her good. Her father and sister were glad
to see her, for the sake of shewing her the
house and furniture, and met her with kindness.
Her making a fourth, when they sat down to
dinner, was noticed as an advantage.
Mrs. Clay was very pleasant and very smiling,
but her courtesies and smiles were more a
matter of course. Anne had always felt that
she would pretend what was proper on her
arrival, but the complaisance of the others was
unlocked for. They were evidently in excellent
spirits, and she was soon to listen to the causes.
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They had no inclination to listen to her. After
laying out for some compliments of being deeply
regretted in their old neighbourhood, which
Anne could not pay, they had only a few faint
inquiries to make, before the talk must be all
their own. Uppercross excited no interest,
Kellynch very little : it was all Bath.
They had the pleasure of assuring her that
Bath more than answered their expectations in
every respect. Their house was undoubtedly
the best in Camden Place, their drawing-rooms
had many decided advantages over all the others
which they had either seen or heard of, and the
superiority was not less in the style of the
fitting- up or the taste of the furniture. Their
acquaintance was exceedingly sought after.
Everybody was wanting to visit them. They
had drawn back from many introductions, and
still were perpetually having cards left by people
of whom they knew nothing.
Here were funds of enjoyment ! Could Anne
wonder that her father and sister were happy ?
She might not wonder, but she must sigh that
her father should feel no degradation in his
change, should see nothing to regret in the
duties and dignity of the resident landholder,
should find so much to be vain of in the little-
nesses of a town ; and she must sigh, and smile,
and wonder too, as Elizabeth threw open the
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folding-doors, and walked with exultation from
one drawing-room to the other, boasting of their
space : at the possibility of that woman, who
had been mistress of Kellynch Hall, finding
extent to be proud of between two walls,
perhaps thirty feet asunder.
But this was not all which they had to make
them happy. They had Mr. Elliot too. Anne
had a great deal to hear of Mr. Elliot. He was
not only pardoned, they were delighted with
him. He had been in Bath about a fortnight
(he had passed through Bath in November, in
his way to London, when the intelligence of
Sir Walter's being settled there had of course
reached him, though only twenty-four hours in
the place, but he had not been able to avail
himself of it) ; but he had now been a fortnight
in Bath, and his first object on arriving had been
to leave his card in Camden Place, following it
up by such assiduous endeavours to meet, and
when they did meet, by such great openness of
conduct, such readiness to apologise for the
past, such solicitude to be received as a relation
again, that their former good understanding was
completely re-established.
They had not a fault to find in him. He had
explained away all the appearance of neglect on
his own side. It had originated in misappre-
hension entirely. He had never had an idea of
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throwing himself off ; he had feared that he was
thrown off, but knew not why, and delicacy
had kept him silent. Upon the hint of having
spoken disrespectfully or carelessly of the family
and the family honours, he was quite indignant.
He, who had ever boasted of being an Elliot,
and whose feelings, as to connexion, were only
too strict to suit the unfeudal tone of the present
day. He was astonished, indeed, but his char-
acter and general conduct must refute it He
could refer Sir Walter to all who knew him;
and certainly, the pains he had been taking on
this, the first opportunity of reconciliation, to
be restored to the footing of a relation and
heir -presumptive, was a strong proof of his
opinions on the subject.
The circumstances of his marriage, too, were
found to admit of much extenuation. This
was an article not to be entered on by himself ;
but a very intimate friend of his, a Colonel
Wallis, a highly respectable man, perfectly the
gentleman (and not an ill-looking man, Sir
Walter added), who was living in very good
style in Marlborough Buildings, and had, at
his own particular request, been admitted to
their acquaintance through Mr. Elliot, had
mentioned one or two things relative to the
marriage, which made a material difference in
the discredit of it.
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Colonel Wallis had known Mr. Elliot long,
had been well acquainted also with his wife,
had perfectly understood the whole story. She
was certainly not a woman of family, but well
educated, accomplished, rich, and excessively in
love with his friend. There had been the charm.
She had sought him. Without that attraction,
not all her money would have tempted Elliot,
and Sir Walter was, moreover, assured of her
having been a very fine woman. Here was a
great deal to soften the business. A very fine
woman, with a large fortune, in love with him !
Sir Walter seemed to admit it as complete
apology ; and though Elizabeth could not see
the circumstance hi quite so favourable a light,
she allowed it to be a great extenuation.
Mr. Elliot had called repeatedly, had dined
with them once, evidently delighted by the dis-
tinction of being asked, for they gave no dinners
in general; delighted, in short, by every proof
of cousinly notice, and placing his whole happi-
ness in being on intimate terms in Camden
Place.
Anne listened, but without quite understand-
ing it. Allowances, large allowances, she knew,
must be made for the ideas of those who spoke.
She heard it all under embellishment. All that
sounded extravagant or irrational in the progress
of the reconciliation might have no origin but
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in the language of the relators. Still, however,
she had the sensation of there being something
more than immediately appeared, in Mr. Elliot's
wishing, after an interval of so many years, to
be well received by them. In a worldly view,
he had nothing to gain by being on terms with
Sir Walter ; nothing to risk by a state of vari-
ance. In all probability he was already the
richer of the two, and the Kelly nch estate would
as surely be his hereafter as the title. A sen-
sible man, and he had looked like a very sensible
man, why should it be an object to him ? She
could only offer one solution : it was, perhaps,
for Elizabeth's sake. There might really have
been a liking formerly, though convenience and
accident had drawn him a different way; and
now that he could afford to please himself, he
might mean to pay his addresses to her. Eliza-
beth was certainly very handsome, with well-
bred, elegant manners, and her character might
never have been penetrated by Mr. Elliot,
knowing her but in public, and when very
young himself. How her temper and under-
standing might bear the investigation of his
present keener time of life was another concern,
and rather a fearful one. Most earnestly did
she wish that he might not be too nice, or too
observant, if Elizabeth were his object ; and that
Elizabeth was disposed to believe herself so, and
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that her friend, Mrs. Clay, was encouraging the
idea, seemed apparent by a glance or two be-
tween them, while Mr. Elliot's frequent visits
were talked of.
Anne mentioned the glimpses she had had of
him at Lyme, but without being much attended
to. * Oh ! yes, perhaps it had been Mr. Elliot.
They did not know. It might be him, perhaps.'
They could not listen to her description of
him. They were describing him themselves;
Sir Walter especially. He did justice to his
very gentlemanlike appearance, his air of ele-
gance and fashion, his good-shaped face, his
sensible eye; but, at the same time, 'must
lament his being very much under-hung, a
defect which time seemed to have increased ;
nor could he pretend to say that ten years had
not altered almost every feature for the worse.
Mr. Elliot appeared to think that he (Sir
Walter) was looking exactly as he had done
when they last parted'; but Sir Walter had
'not been able to return the compliment en-
tirely, which had embarrassed him. He did not
mean to complain, however. Mr. Elliot was
better to look at than most men, and he had no
objection to being seen with him anywhere.'
Mr. Elliot, and his friends in Marlborough
Buildings, were talked of the whole evening.
'Colonel Wallis had been so impatient to be
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introduced to them ! and Mr. Elliot so anxious
that he should ! ' and there was a Mrs. Wallis,
at present known only to them by description,
as she was in daily expectation of her confine-
ment ; but Mr. Elliot spoke of her as * a most
charming woman, quite worthy of being known
in Camden Place,' and as soon as she recovered
they were to be acquainted. Sir Walter thought
much of Mrs. Wallis ; she was said to be an ex-
cessively pretty woman, beautiful. * He longed
to see her. He hoped she might make some
amends for the many very plain faces he was
continually passing in the streets. The worst
of Bath was the number of its plain women.
He did not mean to say that there were no
pretty women, but the number of the plain was
out of all proportion. He had frequently ob-
served, as he walked, that one handsome face
would be followed by thirty, or five-and-thirty,
frights; and once, as he had stood in a shop
in Bond Street, he had counted eighty-seven
women go by, one after another, without there
being a tolerable face among them. It had
been a frosty morning, to be sure, a sharp frost,
which hardly one woman in a thousand could
stand the test of. But still, there certainly were
a dreadful multitude of ugly women in Bath ;
and as for the men ! they were infinitely worse.
Such scarecrows as the streets were full of! It
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was evident how little the women were used to
the sight of anything tolerable, by the effect
which a man of decent appearance produced.
He had never walked anywhere arm-in-arm
with Colonel Wallis (who was a fine military
figure, though sandy-haired) without observing
that every woman's eye was upon him; every
woman's eye was sure to be upon Colonel
Wallis.' Modest Sir Walter! He was not
allowed to escape, however. His daughter
and Mrs. Clay united in hinting that Colonel
Wallis 's companion might have as good a figure
as Colonel Wallis, and certainly was not sandy-
haired.
* How is Mary looking ? ' said Sir Walter, in
the height of his good humour. ' The last time
I saw her she had a red nose, but I hope that
may not happen every day.'
* Oh ! no, that must have been quite acci-
dental In general she has been in very good
health and very good looks since Michaelmas.'
* If I thought it would not tempt her to go
out in sharp winds, and grow coarse, I would
send her a new hat and pelisse.'
Anne was considering whether she should
venture to suggest that a gown, or a cap, would
not be liable to any such misuse, when a knock
at the door suspended everything. 'A knock
at the door! and so late! It was ten o'clock.
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Could it be Mr. Elliot ? They knew he was to
dine in Lansdown Crescent. It was possible
that he might stop in his way home to ask them
how they did. They could think of no one
else. Mrs. Clay decidedly thought it Mr. Elliot's
knock.' Mrs. Clay was right. With all the
state which a butler and footboy could give,
Mr. Elliot was ushered into the room.
It was the same, the very same man, with no
difference but of dress. Anne drew a little back,
while the others received his compliments, and
her sister his apologies for calling at so unusual
an hour, but * he could not be so near without
wishing to know that neither she nor her friend
had taken cold the day before,' etc., etc. ; which
was all as politely done, and as politely taken,
as possible, but her part must follow then. Sir
Walter talked of his youngest daughter : ( Mr.
Elliot must give him leave to present him to his
youngest daughter ' (there was no occasion for
remembering Mary) ; and Anne, smiling and
blushing, very becomingly shewed to Mr. Elliot
the pretty features which he had by no means
forgotten, and instantly saw, with amusement at
his little start of surprise, that he had not been
at all aware of who she was. He looked com-
pletely astonished, but not more astonished than
pleased : his eyes brightened ! and with the most
perfect alacrity he welcomed the relationship,
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alluded to the past, and entreated to be received
as an acquaintance already. He was quite as
good-looking as he had appeared at Lyme, his
countenance improved by speaking, and his
manners were so exactly what they ought to
be, so polished, so easy, so particularly agree-
able, that she could compare them in excellence
to only one person's manners. They were not
the same, but they were, perhaps, equally
good.
He sat down with them, and improved their
conversation very much. There could be no
doubt of his being a sensible man. Ten minutes
were enough to certify that. His tone, his
expressions, his choice of subject, his knowing
where to stop; it was all the operation of a
sensible, discerning mind. As soon as he could,
he began to talk to her of Lyme, wanting
to compare opinions respecting the place, but
especially wanting to speak of the circumstance
of their happening to be guests in the same inn
at the same time ; to give his own route, under-
stand something of hers, and regret that he
should have lost such an opportunity of paying
his respects to her. She gave him a short
account of her party and business at Lyme.
His regret increased as he listened. He had
spent his whole solitary evening in the room
adjoining theirs : had heard voices, mirth con-
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tinually; thought they must be a most delightful
set of people, longed to be with them, but
certainly without the smallest suspicion of his
possessing the shadow of a right to introduce
himself. If he had but asked who the party
were ! The name of Musgrove would have told
him enough. ' Well, it would serve to cure him
of an absurd practice of never asking a question
at an inn, which he had adopted, when quite
a young man, on the principle of its being very
ungenteel to be curious.'
* The notions of a young man of one or two
and twenty,' said he, 'as to what is necessary
in manners to make him quite the thing, are
more absurd, I believe, than those of any other
set of beings in the world. The folly of the
means they often employ is only to be equalled
by the folly of what they have in view.'
But he must not be addressing his reflections
to Anne alone: he knew it; he was soon diffused
again among the others, and it was only at
intervals that he could return to Lyme.
His inquiries, however, produced at length an
account of the scene she had been engaged in
there, soon after his leaving the place. Having
alluded to * an accident,' he must hear the whole.
When he questioned, Sir Walter and Elizabeth
began to question also, but the difference in
their manner of doing it could not be unfelt.
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She could only compare Mr. Elliot to Lady
Russell, in the wish of really comprehending
what had passed, and in the degree of concern
for what she must have suffered in witnessing it.
He staid an hour with them. The elegant
little clock on the mantelpiece had struck
' eleven with its silver sounds,' and the watch-
man was beginning to be heard at a distance
telling the same tale, before Mr. Elliot or any
of them seemed to feel that he had been there
long.
Anne could not have supposed it possible
that her first evening in Camden Place could
have passed so well.
CHAPTER XVI
THERE was one point which Anne, on returning
to her family, would have been more thankful
to ascertain even than Mr. Elliot's being in love
with Elizabeth, which was, her father's not being
in love with Mrs. Clay ; and she was very far
from easy about it, when she had been at home
a few hours. On going down to breakfast the
next morning, she found there had just been
a decent pretence on the lady's side of meaning
to leave them. She could imagine Mrs. Clay
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to have said, that ' now Miss Anne was come,
she could not suppose herself at all wanted ' ;
for Elizabeth was replying in a sort of whisper,
6 That must not be any reason, indeed. I assure
you I feel it none. She is nothing to me, com-
pared with you'; and she was in full time to
hear her father say, * My dear madam, this must
not be. As yet, you have seen nothing of Bath.
You have been here only to be useful. You
must not run away from us now. You must
stay to be acquainted with Mrs. Wallis, the
beautiful Mrs. Wallis. To your fine mind,
I well know the sight of beauty is a real
gratification/
He spoke and looked so much in earnest, that
Anne was not surprised to see Mrs. Clay stealing
a glance at Elizabeth and herself. Her counten-
ance, perhaps, might express some watchfulness ;
but the praise of the fine mind did not appear
to excite a thought in her sister. The lady
could not but yield to such joint entreaties, and
promise to stay.
In the course of the same morning, Anne and
her father chancing to be alone together, he
began to compliment her on her improved
looks : he thought her ' less thin in her person,
in her cheeks ; her skin, her complexion, greatly
improved : clearer, fresher. Had she been
using anything in particular ? ' * No, nothing. 7
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Merely Gowland,' he supposed. ' No, nothing
at all.' 'Ha! he was surprised at that'; and
added, 'Certainly you cannot do better than
continue as you are ; you cannot be better than
well; or I should recommend Gowland, the
constant use of Gowland, during the spring
months. Mrs. Clay has been using it at my
recommendation, and you see what it has done
for her. You see how it has carried away her
freckles.'
If Elizabeth could but have heard this ! Such
personal praise might have struck her, especially
as it did not appear to Anne that the freckles
were at all lessened. But everything must take
its chance. The evil of the marriage would be
much diminished, if Elizabeth were also to marry.
As for herself, she might always command a
home with Lady Russell.
Lady Russell's composed mind and polite
manners were put to some trial on this point,
in her intercourse in Camden Place. The sight
of Mrs. Clay in such favour, and of Anne so
overlooked, was a perpetual provocation to her
there ; and vexed her as much when she was
away, as a person in Bath who drinks the water,
gets all the new publications, and has a very
large acquaintance, has time to be vexed.
As Mr. Elliot became known to her, she grew
more charitable, or more indifferent, towards
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the others. His manners were an immediate
recommendation; and on conversing with him
she found the solid so fully supporting the
superficial, that she was at first, as she told
Anne, almost ready to exclaim, 'Can this be
Mr. Elliot ? ' and could not seriously picture
to herself a more agreeable or estimable man.
Everything united in him : good understanding,
correct opinions, knowledge of the world, and
a warm heart. He had strong feelings of family
attachment and family honour, without pride
or weakness ; he lived with the liberality of a
man of fortune, without display ; he judged for
himself in everything essential, without defying
public opinion in any point of worldly decorum.
He was steady, observant, moderate, candid;
never run away with by spirits or by selfishness,
which fancied itself strong feeling; and yet with
a sensibility to what was amiable and lovely,
and a value for all the felicities of domestic
life, which characters of fancied enthusiasm and
violent agitation seldom really possess. She was
sure that he had not been happy in marriage.
Colonel Wallis said it, and Lady Russell saw it;
but it had been no unhappiness to sour his mind,
nor (she began pretty soon to suspect) to prevent
his thinking of a second choice. Her satisfaction
in Mr. Elliot outweighed all the plague of Mrs.
Clay.
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It was now some years since Anne had begun
to learn that she and her excellent friend could
sometimes think differently ; and it did not
surprise her, therefore, that Lady Russell should
see nothing suspicious or inconsistent, nothing
to require more motives than appeared, in Mr.
Elliot's great desire of a reconciliation. In Lady
Russell's view, it was perfectly natural that Mr.
Elliot, at a mature time of life, should feel it
a most desirable object, and what would very
generally recommend him among all sensible
people, to be on good terms with the head
of his family ; the simplest process in the world
of time upon a head naturally clear, and only
erring in the heyday of youth. Anne presumed,
however, still to smile about it, and at last to
mention * Elizabeth.' Lady Russell listened,
and looked, and made only this cautious reply :
* Elizabeth 1 very well ; time will explain.'
It was a reference to the future, which Anne,
after a little observation, felt she must submit
to. She could determine nothing at present.
In that house Elizabeth must be first ; and she
was in the habit of such general observance as
' Miss Elliot,' that any particularity of attention
seemed almost impossible. Mr. Elliot, too, it
must be remembered, had not been a widower
seven months. A little delay on his side might
be very excusable. In fact, Anne could never
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see the crape round his hat without fearing that
she was the inexcusable one, in attributing to
him such imaginations ; for though his marriage
had not been very happy, still it had existed so
many years that she could not comprehend a
very rapid recovery from the awful impression
of its being dissolved.
However it might end, he was without any
question their pleasantest acquaintance in Bath :
she saw nobody equal to him ; and it was a great
indulgence now and then to talk to him about
Lyme, which he seemed to have as lively a wish
to see again, and to see more of, as herself.
They went through the particulars of their first
meeting a great many times. He gave her to
understand that he had looked at her with some
earnestness. She knew it well ; and she remem-
bered another person's look also.
They did not always think alike. His value
for rank and connexion she perceived to be
greater than hers. It was not merely complais-
ance, it must be a liking to the cause, which
made him enter warmly into her father and
sister's solicitudes on a subject which she thought
unworthy to excite them. The Bath paper one
morning announced the arrival of the Dowager-
Viscountess Dalrymple, and her daughter, the
Honourable Miss Carteret ; and all the comfort
of No. - - Camden Place was swept away for
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many days ; for the Dalrymples (in Anne s
opinion, most unfortunately) were cousins of
the Elliots ; and the agony was how to intro-
duce themselves properly.
Anne had never seen her father and sister
before in contact with nobility, and she must
acknowledge herself disappointed. She had
hoped better things from their high ideas of
their own situation in life, and was reduced to
form a wish which she had never foreseen :
a wish that they had more pride ; for * our
cousins, Lady Dalrymple and Miss Carteret'
'our cousins the Dalrymples,' sounded in her
ears all day long.
Sir Walter had once been in company with
the late viscount, but had never seen any of the
rest of the family; and the difficulties of the
case arose from there having been a suspension
of all intercourse by letters of ceremony, ever
since the death of that said late viscount, when
in consequence of a dangerous illness of Sir
Walter's at the same time, there had been an
unlucky omission at Kellynch. No letter of
condolence had been sent to Ireland. The
neglect had been visited on the head of the
sinner ; for when poor Lady Elliot died herself,
no letter of condolence was received at Kellynch,
and, consequently, there was but too much reason
to apprehend that the Dalrymples considered the
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relationship as closed. How to have this anxious
business set to rights, and be admitted as cousins
again, was the question : and it was a question
which, in a more rational manner, neither Lady
Russell nor Mr. Elliot thought unimportant.
' Family connexions were always worth pre-
serving, good company always worth seeking;
Lady Dalrymple had taken a house, for three
months, in Laura Place, and would be living in
style. She had been at Bath the year before,
and Lady Russell had heard her spoken of as a
charming woman. It was very desirable that
the connexion should be renewed, if it could be
done, without any compromise of propriety on
the side of the Elliots.'
Sir Walter, however, would chuse his own
means, and at last wrote a very fine letter of
ample explanation, regret, and entreaty, to his
right honourable cousin. Neither Lady Russell
nor Mr. Elliot could admire the letter ; but
it did all that was wanted, in bringing three
lines of scrawl from the Dowager- Viscountess.
' She was very much honoured and should be
happy in their acquaintance.' The toils of the
business were over, the sweets began. They
visited in Laura Place, they had the cards of
Dowager- Viscountess Dalrymple and the Hon-
ourable Miss Carteret, to be arranged wherever
they might be most visible; and 'Our cousins
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in Laura Place ' * Our cousins, Lady Dal-
rymple and Miss Carteret,' were talked of to
everybody.
Anne was ashamed. Had Lady Dalrymple
and her daughter even been very agreeable, she
would still have been ashamed of the agitation
they created ; but they were nothing. There was
no superiority of manner, accomplishment, or
understanding. Lady Dalrymple had acquired
the name of ' a charming woman,' because she
had a smile and a civil answer for everybody.
Miss Carteret, with still less to say, was so plain
and so awkward, that she would never have
been tolerated in Camden Place but for her
birth.
Lady Russell confessed that she had expected
something better ; but yet * it was an acquaint-
ance worth having ' ; and when Anne ventured
to speak her opinion of them to Mr. Elliot, he
agreed to their being nothing in themselves, but
still maintained that, as a family connexion, as
good company, as those who would collect good
company around them, they had their value.
Anne smiled and said
' My idea of good company, Mr. Elliot, is the
company of clever, well-informed people, who
have a great deal of conversation ; that is what
I call good company.'
* You are mistaken,' said he gently ; * that is
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not good company ; that is the best. Good
company requires only birth, education, and
manners, and with regard to education is not
very nice. Birth and good manners are essen-
tial; but a little learning is by no means a
dangerous thing in good company ; on the con-
trary, it will do very well. My cousin Anne
shakes her head. She is not satisfied. She is
fastidious. My dear cousin' (sitting down by
her), 'you have a better right to be fastidious
than almost any other woman I know ; but will
it answer ? Will it make you happy ? Will it
not be wiser to accept the society of these good
ladies in Laura Place, and enjoy all the advan-
tages of the connexion as far as possible ? You
may depend upon it, that they will move in the
first set in Bath this winter, and as rank is rank,
your being known to be related to them will
have its use in fixing your family (our family,
let me say) in that degree of consideration which
we must all wish for.'
'Yes,' sighed Anne, "we shall, indeed, be
known to be related to them !' then recollecting
herself, and not wishing to be answered, she
added, ' I certainly do think there has been by
far too much trouble taken to procure the ac-
quaintance. I suppose ' (smiling) ' I have more
pride than any of you ; but I confess it does
vex me, that we should be so solicitous to have
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the relationship acknowledged, which we may
be very sure is a matter of perfect indifference
to them.'
' Pardon me, my dear cousin, you are unjust
to your own claims. In London, perhaps, in
your present quiet style of living, it might be as
you say; but in Bath, Sir Walter Elliot and
his family will always be worth knowing : always
acceptable as acquaintance.'
* Well,' said Anne, ' I certainly am proud, too
proud to enjoy a welcome which depends so
entirely upon place.'
' I love your indignation,' said he ; 'it is very
natural. But here you are in Bath, and the object
is to be established here with all the credit and
dignity which ought to belong to Sir Walter
Elliot. You talk of being proud ; I am called
proud, I know, and I shall not wish to believe
myself otherwise; for our pride, if investigated,
would have the same object, I have no doubt,
though the kind may seem a little different.
In one point, I am sure, my dear cousin ' (he
continued, speaking lower, though there was no
one else hi the room), * in one point I am sure
we must feel alike. We must feel that every
addition to your father's society, among his
equals or superiors, may be of use in diverting
his thoughts from those who are beneath him.'
He looked, as he spoke, to the seat which
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PERSUASION
Mrs. Clay had been lately occupying : a sufficient
explanation of what he particularly meant ; and
though Anne could not believe in their having
the same sort of pride, she was pleased with
him for not liking Mrs. Clay ; and her conscience
admitted that his wishing to promote her father's
getting great acquaintance was more than ex-
cusable in the view of defeating her.
CHAPTER XVII
WHILE Sir Walter and Elizabeth were assidu-
ously pushing their good fortune in Laura Place,
Anne was renewing an acquaintance of a very
different description.
She had called on her former governess, and
had heard from her of there being an old school-
fellow in Bath, who had the two strong claims
on her attention of past kindness and present
suffering. Miss Hamilton, now Mrs. Smith,
had shewn her kindness in one of those periods
of her life when it had been most valuable.
Anne had gone unhappy to school, grieving for
the loss of a mother whom she had dearly loved,
feeling her separation from home, and suffering
as a girl of fourteen, of strong sensibility and
not high spirits, must suffer at such a time ; and
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Miss Hamilton, three years older than herself,
but still, from the want of near relations and a
settled home, remaining another year at school,
had been useful and good to her hi a way which
had considerably lessened her misery, and could
never be remembered with indifference.
Miss Hamilton had left school, had married
not long afterwards, was said to have married a
man of fortune, and this was all that Anne had
known of her, till now that their governess's
account brought her situation forward in a more
decided but very different form.
She was a widow, and poor. Her husband
had been extravagant ; and at his death, about
two years before, had left his affairs dreadfully
involved. She had had difficulties of every sort
to contend with, and in addition to these dis-
tresses had been afflicted with a severe rheumatic
fever, which, finally settling in her legs, had
made her for the present a cripple. She had
come to Bath on that account, and was now in
lodgings near the hot baths, living in a very
humble way, unable even to afford herself the
comfort of a servant, and of course almost
excluded from society.
Their mutual friend answered for the satisfac-
tion which a visit from Miss Elliot would give
Mrs. Smith, and Anne therefore lost no time in
going. She mentioned nothing of what she had
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heard, or what she intended, at home. It would
excite no proper interest there. She only con-
sulted Lady Russell, who entered thoroughly
into her sentiments, and was most happy to
convey her as near to Mrs. Smith's lodgings,
in Westgate Buildings, as Anne chose to be
taken.
The visit was paid, their acquaintance re-
established, their interest in each other more
than rekindled. The first ten minutes had its
awkwardness and its emotion. Twelve years
were gone since they had parted, and each pre-
sented a somewhat different person from what
the other had imagined. Twelve years had
changed Anne from the blooming, silent, un-
formed girl of fifteen, to the elegant little
woman of seven- and-twenty, with every beauty
excepting bloom, and with manners as con-
sciously right as they were invariably gentle ;
and twelve years had transformed the fine-
looking, well-grown Miss Hamilton, in all the
glow of health and confidence of superiority,
into a poor, infirm, helpless widow, receiving the
visit of her former protegee as a favour ; but all
that was uncomfortable in the meeting had soon
passed away, and left only the interesting charm
of remembering former partialities and talking
over old times.
Anne found in Mrs; Smith the good sense
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and agreeable manners which she had almost
ventured to depend on, and a disposition to
converse and be cheerful beyond her expecta-
tion. Neither the dissipations of the past and
she had lived very much in the world nor the
restrictions of the present, neither sickness nor
sorrow seemed to have closed her heart or ruined
her spirits.
In the course of a second visit she talked with
great openness, and Anne's astonishment in-
creased. She could scarcely imagine a more
cheerless situation in itself than Mrs. Smith's.
She had been very fond of her husband : she
had buried him. She had been used to afflu-
ence : it was gone. She had no child to
connect her with life and happiness again, no
relations to assist in the arrangement of per-
plexed affairs, no health to make all the rest
supportable. Her accommodations were limited
to a noisy parlour, and a dark bedroom behind,
with no possibility of moving from one to the
other without assistance, which there was only
one servant in the house to afford, and she never
quitted the house but to be conveyed into the
warm bath. Yet, in spite of all this, Anne had
reason to believe that she had moments only of
languor and depression to hours of occupation
and enjoyment. How could it be ? She
watched, observed, reflected, and finally deter-
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PERSUASION
mined that this was not a case of fortitude or
of resignation only. A submissive spirit might
be patient, a strong understanding would supply
resolution, but here was something more ; here
was that elasticity of mind, that disposition to
be comforted, that power of turning readily
from evil to good, and of finding employment
which carried her out of herself, which was from
nature alone. It was the choicest gift of
Heaven ; and Anne viewed her friend as one of
those instances in which, by a merciful appoint-
ment, it seems designed to counterbalance almost
every other want.
There had been a time, Mrs. Smith told her,
when her spirits had nearly failed. She could
not call herself an invalid now, compared with
her state on first reaching Bath. Then she had,
indeed, been a pitiable object ; for she had
caught cold on the journey, and had hardly
taken possession of her lodgings before she was
again confined to her bed, and suffering under
severe and constant pain; and all this among
strangers, with the absolute necessity of having
a regular nurse, and finances at that moment
particularly unfit to meet any extraordinary
expense. She had weathered it, however, and
could truly say that it had done her good. It
had increased her comforts by making her feel
herself to be in good hands. She had seen too
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much of the world to expect sudden or disin-
terested attachment anywhere, but her illness
had proved to her that her landlady had a char-
acter to preserve, and would not use her ill ;
and she had been particularly fortunate in her
nurse, as a sister of her landlady, a nurse by
profession, and who had always a home in that
house when unemployed, chanced to be at
liberty just in time to attend her. * And she,'
said Mrs. Smith, ' besides nursing me most
admirably, has really proved an invaluable ac-
quaintance. As soon as I could use my hands
she taught me to knit, which has been a great
amusement; and she put me in the way of
making these little thread-cases, pincushions,
and card-racks, which you always find me so
busy about, and which supply me with the
means of doing a little good to one or two very
poor families in this neighbourhood. She has
a large acquaintance, of course professionally,
among those who can afford to buy, and she
disposes of my merchandise. She always takes
the right time for applying. Everybody's heart
is open, you know, when they have recently
escaped from severe pain, or are recovering the
blessing of health, and Nurse Rooke thoroughly
understands when to speak. She is a shrewd,
intelligent, sensible woman. Hers is a line for
seeing human nature; and she has a fund of
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PERSUASION
good sense and observation, which, as a com-
panion, make her infinitely superior to thousands
of those who, having only received " the best
education in the world," know nothing worth
attending to. Call it gossip, if you will, but
when Nurse Rooke has half an hour's leisure to
bestow on me, she is sure to have something to
relate that is entertaining and profitable : some-
thing that makes one know one's species better.
One likes to hear what is going on, to be au
fait as to the newest modes of being trifling and
silly. To me, who live so much alone, her con-
versation, I assure you, is a treat/
Anne, far from wishing to cavil at the pleasure,
replied, * I can easily believe it. Women of
that class have great opportunities, and if they
are intelligent may be well worth listening to.
Such varieties of human nature as they are in the
habit of witnessing ! And it is not merely in
its follies that they are well read ; for they see
it occasionally under every circumstance that
can be most interesting or affecting. What
instances must pass before them of ardent, dis-
interested, self-denying attachment, of heroism,
fortitude, patience, resignation ; of all the con-
flicts and all the sacrifices that ennoble us most.
A sick-chamber may often furnish the worth
of volumes.'
'Yes,' said Mrs. Smith more doubtingly,
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* sometimes it may, though I fear its lessons are
not often in the elevated style you describe.
Here and there, human nature may be great in
times of trial ; but, generally speaking, it is its
weakness and not its strength that appears in a
sick-chamber: it is selfishness and impatience,
rather than generosity and fortitude, that one
hears of. There is so little real friendship in
the world ! and unfortunately ' (speaking low
and tremulously), * there are so many who forget
to think seriously till it is almost too late.'
Anne saw the misery of such feelings. The
husband had not been what he ought, and the
wife had been led among that part of mankind
which made her think worse of the world than
she hoped it deserved. It was but a passing
emotion, however, with Mrs. Smith ; she shook
it off, and soon added in a different tone
* I do not suppose the situation my friend
Mrs. Rooke is in at present will furnish much
either to interest or edify me. She is only
nursing Mrs. Wallis of Marlborough Buildings
a mere pretty, silly, expensive, fashionable
woman, I believe ; and of course will have
nothing to report but of lace and finery. I
mean to make my profit of Mrs. Wallis, how-
ever. She has plenty of money, and I intend
she shall buy all the high-priced things I have
in hand now.'
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Anne had called several times on her friend
before the existence of such a person was known
in Camden Place. At last it became necessary
to speak of her. Sir Walter, Elizabeth, and
Mrs. Clay returned one morning from Laura
Place with a sudden invitation from Lady
Dalrymple for the same evening, and Anne
was already engaged to spend that evening in
Westgate Buildings. She was not sorry for the
excuse. They were only asked, she was sure,
because Lady Dalrymple, being kept at home
by a bad cold, was glad to make use of the
relationship which had been so pressed on her ;
and she declined on her own account with great
alacrity ' She was engaged to spend the evening
with an old schoolfellow.' They were not much
interested in anything relative to Anne ; but
still there were questions enough asked, to make
it understood what this old schoolfellow was ;
and Elizabeth was disdainful, and Sir Walter
severe.
* Westgage Buildings ! ' said he ; * and who is
Miss Anne Elliot to be visiting in Westgate
Buildings? A Mrs. Smith. A widow Mrs.
Smith ; and who was her husband ? One of
the five thousand Mr. Smiths whose names are
to be met with everywhere. And what is her
attraction ? That she is old and sickly. Upon
my word, Miss Anne Elliot, you have the most
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extraordinary taste 1 Everything that revolts
other people low company, paltry rooms, foul
air, disgusting associations are inviting to you.
But surely you may put off this old lady till
to-morrow: she is not so near her end, I pre-
sume, but that she may hope to see another
day. What is her age ? Forty ? '
' No, sir, she is not one-and-thirty ; but I do
not think I can put off my engagement, because
it is the only evening for some time which will
at once suit her and myself. She goes into the
warm bath to-morrow ; and for the rest of the
week, you know, we are engaged.'
' But what does Lady Russell think of this
acquaintance ? ' asked Elizabeth.
f She sees nothing to blame in it,' replied
Anne; "on the contrary, she approves it, and
has generally taken me when I have called
on Mrs. Smith.'
* Westgate Buildings must have been rather
surprised by the appearance of a carriage drawn
up near its pavement,' observed Sir Walter.
'Sir Henry Russell's widow, indeed, has no
honours to distinguish her arms, but still it is
a handsome equipage, and no doubt is well
known to convey a Miss Elliot. A widow Mrs.
Smith, lodging in Westgate Buildings ! A poor
widow, barely able to live, between thirty and
forty ; a mere Mrs. Smith, an everyday Mrs.
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Smith, of all people and all names in the world,
to be the chosen friend of Miss Anne Elliot,
and to be preferred by her to her own family
connexions among the nobility of England and
Ireland ! Mrs. Smith ! Such a name ! '
Mrs. Clay, who had been present while all
this passed, now thought it advisable to leave
the room, and Anne could have said much, and
did long to say a little in defence of her friend's
not very dissimilar claims to theirs, but her
sense of personal respect to her father prevented
her. She made no reply. She left it to himself
to recollect that Mrs. Smith was not the only
widow in Bath between thirty and forty, with
little to live on, and no sirname of dignity.
Anne kept her appointment, the others kept
theirs, and of course she heard the next morning
that they had had a delightful evening. She
had been the only one of the set absent, for Sir
Walter and Elizabeth had not only been quite
at her ladyship's service themselves, but had
actually been happy to be employed by her in
collecting others, and had been at the trouble of
inviting both Lady Russell and Mr. Elliot ; and
Mr. Elliot had made a point of leaving Colonel
Wallis early, and Lady Russell had fresh
arranged all her evening engagements, in order
to wait on her. Anne had the whole history
of all that such an evening could supply from
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Lady Russell. To her, its greatest interest
must be, in having been very much talked of
between her friend and Mr. Elliot ; in having
been wished for, regretted, and at the same time
honoured for staying away in such a cause.
Her kind, compassionate visits to this old
schoolfellow, sick and reduced, seemed to have
quite delighted Mr. Elliot. He thought her
a most extraordinary young woman : in her
temper, manners, mind, a model of female ex-
cellence. He could meet even Lady Russell in
a discussion of her merits ; and Anne could not
be given to understand so much by her friend,
could not know herself to be so highly rated by
a sensible man, without many of those agreeable
sensations which her friend meant to create.
Lady Russell was now perfectly decided in
her opinion of Mr. Elliot. She was as much
convinced of his meaning to gain Anne in time
as of his deserving her, and was beginning to
calculate the number of weeks which would free
him from all the remaining restraints of widow-
hood, and leave him at liberty to exert his most
open powers of pleasing. She would not speak
to Anne with half the certainty she felt on the
subject ; she would venture on little more than
hints of what might be hereafter, of a possible
attachment on his side, of the desirableness of
the alliance, supposing such an attachment to
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be real and returned. Anne heard her, and
made no violent exclamations : she only smiled,
blushed, and gently shook her head.
6 1 am no matchmaker, as you well know,'
said Lady Russell, ' being much too well aware
of the uncertainty of all human events and
calculations. I only mean that if Mr. Elliot
should some time hence pay his addresses to
you, and if you should be disposed to accept
him, I think there would be every possibility
of your being happy together. A most suitable
connexion everybody must consider it, but I
think it might be a very happy one.'
( Mr. Elliot is an exceedingly agreeable man,
and in many respects I think highly of him,'
said Anne; ' but we should not suit.'
Lady Russell let this pass, and only said in
rejoinder, ' I own that to be able to regard you
as the future mistress of Kellynch, the future
Lady Elliot, to look forward and see you oc-
cupying your dear mother's place, succeeding to
all her rights, and all her popularity, as well as
to all her virtues, would be the highest possible
gratification to me. You are your mother's
self in countenance and disposition; and if I
might be allowed to fancy you such as she was,
in situation, and name, and home, presiding and
blessing in the same spot, and only superior to
her in being more highly valued ! My dearest
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Anne, it would give me more delight than is
often felt at my time of life. '
Anne was obliged to turn away, to rise, to
walk to a distant table, and, leaning there in
pretended employment, try to subdue the feel-
ings this picture excited. For a few moments
her imagination and her heart were bewitched.
The idea of becoming what her mother had
been ; of having the precious name of * Lady
Elliot ' first revived in herself; of being restored
to Kellynch, calling it her home again, her
home for ever, was a charm which she could
not immediately resist. Lady Russell said not
another word, willing to leave the matter to
its own operation ; and believing that, could
Mr. Elliot at that moment with propriety have
spoken for himself! she believed, in short,
what Anne did not believe. The same image
of Mr. Elliot speaking for himself brought
Anne to composure again. The charm of
Kellynch and of ' Lady Elliot ' all faded away.
She never could accept him. And it was not
only that her feelings were still adverse to any
man save one ; her judgment, on a serious con-
sideration of the possibilities of such a case, was
against Mr. Elliot.
Though they had now been acquainted a
month, she could not be satisfied that she really
knew his character. That he was a sensible
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man, an agreeable man, that he talked well,
professed good opinions, seemed to judge pro-
perly and as a man of principle this was all
clear enough. He certainly knew what was
right, nor could she fix on any one article of
moral duty evidently transgressed ; but yet
she would have been afraid to answer for his
conduct. She distrusted the past, if not the
present. The names which occasionally dropt
of former associates, the allusions to former
practices and pursuits, suggested suspicions not
favourable of what he had been. She saw that
there had been bad habits : that Sunday travel-
ling had been a common thing; that there had
been a period of his life (and probably not a
short one) when he had been, at least, careless
on all serious matters; and though he might
now think very differently, who could answer
for the true sentiments of a clever, cautious
man, grown old enough to appreciate a fair
character? How could it ever be ascertained
that his mind was truly cleansed ?
Mr. Elliot was rational, discreet, polished, but
he was not open. There was never any burst
of feeling, any warmth of indignation or delight,
at the evil or good of others. This, to Anne,
was a decided imperfection. Her early impres-
sions were incurable. She prized the frank, the
open-hearted, the eager character beyond all
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others. Warmth and enthusiasm did captivate
her still. She felt that she could so much more
depend upon the sincerity of those who some-
times looked or said a careless or a hasty thing,
than of those whose presence of mind never
varied, whose tongue never slipped.
Mr. Elliot was too generally agreeable.
Various as were the tempers in her father's
house, he pleased them all. He endured too
well, stood too well with everybody. He had
spoken to her with some degree of openness
of Mrs. Clay ; had appeared completely to see
what Mrs. Clay was about, and to hold her in
contempt; and yet Mrs. Clay found him as
agreeable as anybody.
Lady Russell saw either less or more than her
young friend, for she saw nothing to excite
distrust. She could not imagine a man more
exactly what he ought to be than Mr. Elliot ;
nor did she ever enjoy a sweeter feeling than
the hope of seeing him receive the hand of her
beloved Anne in Kellynch church, in the course
of the folio whig autumn.
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CHAPTER XVIII
IT was the beginning of February ; and Anne,
having been a month in Bath, was growing very
eager for news from Uppercross and Lyme. She
wanted to hear much more than Mary communi-
cated. It was three weeks since she had heard
at all. She only knew that Henrietta was at
home again ; and that Louisa, though considered
to be recovering fast, was still at Lyme ; and
she was thinking of them all very intently one
evening, when a thicker letter than usual from
Mary was delivered to her ; and, to quicken the
pleasure and surprise, with Admiral and Mrs.
Croft's compliments.
The Crofts must be in Bath ! A circumstance
to interest her. They were people whom her
heart turned to very naturally.
'What is this?' cried Sir Walter. 'The
Crofts arrived in Bath ? The Crofts who rent
Kellynch ? What have they brought you ? '
* A letter from Uppercross Cottage, sir.'
* Oh ! those letters are convenient passports.
They secure an introduction. I should have
visited Admiral Croft, however, at any rate. I
know what is due to my tenant.'
Anne could listen no longer ; she could not
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even have told how the poor Admiral's com-
plexion escaped; her letter engrossed her. It
had been begun several days back.
February 1st
* MY DEAR ANNE, I make no apology for my
silence, because I know how little people think
of letters in such a place as Bath. You must
be a great deal too happy to care for Upper-
cross, which, as you well know, affords little
to write about. We have had a very dull
Christmas; Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove have not
had one dinner-party all the holidays. I do not
reckon the Hayters as anybody. The holidays,
however, are over at last : I believe no children
ever had such long ones. I am sure I had not.
The house was cleared yesterday, except of the
little Harvilles ; but you will be surprised to
hear that they have never gone home. Mrs.
Harville must be an odd mother to part with
them so long. I do not understand it. They
are not at all nice children, in my opinion ; but
Mrs. Musgrove seems to like them quite as well,
if not better, than her grandchildren. What
dreadful weather we have had ! It may not be
felt in Bath, with your nice pavements ; but in
the country it is of some consequence. I have
not had a creature call on me since the second
week in January, except Charles Hayter, who
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has been calling much oftener than was welcome.
Between ourselves, I think it a great pity Hen-
rietta did not remain at Lyme as long as Louisa ;
it would have kept her a little out of his way.
The carriage is gone to-day, to bring Louisa and
the Harvilles to-morrow. We are not asked to
dine with them, however, till the day after, Mrs.
Musgrove is so afraid of her being fatigued by
the journey, which is not very likely, consider-
ing the care that will be taken of her; and
it would be much more convenient to me to
dine there to-morrow. I am glad you find
Mr. Elliot so agreeable, and wish I could be
acquainted with him too ; but I have my usual
luck : I am always out of the way when any-
thing desirable is going on ; always the last of
my family to be noticed. What an immense
time Mrs. Clay has been staying with Eliza-
beth ! Does she never mean to go away ? But,
perhaps, if she were to leave the room vacant,
we might not be invited. Let me know what
you think of this. I do not expect my children
to be asked, you know. I can leave them at
the Great House very well, for a month or six
weeks. I have this moment heard that the
Crofts are going to Bath almost immediately :
they think the Admiral gouty. Charles heard
it quite by chance : they have not had the
civility to give me any notice, or offer to take
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anything. I do not think they improve at all as
neighbours. We see nothing of them, and this
is really an instance of gross inattention. Charles
joins me in love, and everything proper. Yours
affectionately, ' MARY M
* I am sorry to say that I am very far from
well ; and Jemima has just told me that the
butcher says there is a bad sore throat very
much about. I dare say I shall catch it ; and
my sore throats, you know, are always worse
than anybody's.'
So ended the first part, which had been after-
wards put into an envelope, containing nearly as
much more.
'I kept my letter open, that I might send
you word how Louisa bore her journey, and
now I am extremely glad I did, having a great
deal to add. In the first place, I had a note
from Mrs. Croft yesterday, offering to convey
anything to you ; a very kind, friendly note
indeed, addressed to me, just as it ought ; I
shall therefore be able to make my letter as long
as I like. The Admiral does not seem very
ill, and I sincerely hope Bath will do him all
the good he wants. I shall be truly glad to
have them back again. Our neighbourhood
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cannot spare such a pleasant family. But now
for Louisa. I have something to communicate
that will astonish you not a little. She and the
Harvilles came on Tuesday very safely, and in
the evening we went to ask her how she did,
when we were rather surprised not to find
Captain Benwick of the party, for he had been
invited as well as the Harvilles ; and what do
you think was the reason ? Neither more nor
less than his being in love with Louisa, and not
chusing to venture to Uppercross till he had
had an answer from Mr. Musgrove ; for it
was all settled between him and her before she
came away, and he had written to her father
by Captain Harville. True, upon my honour !
Are not you astonished ? I shall be surprised
at least if you ever received a hint of it, for I
never did. Mrs. Musgrove protests solemnly
that she knew nothing of the matter. We are
all very well pleased, however ; for though it is
not equal to her marrying Captain Wentworth,
it is infinitely better than Charles Hayter ; and
Mr. Musgrove has written his consent, and
Captain Benwick is expected to-day. Mrs.
Harville says her husband feels a good deal on
his poor sister's account ; but, however, Louisa
is a great favourite with both. Indeed, Mrs.
Harville and I quite agree that we love her the
better for having nursed her. Charles wonders
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what Captain Wentworth will say ; but if you
remember, I never thought him attached to
Louisa ; I never could see anything of it. And
this is the end, you see, of Captain Benwick's
being supposed to be an admirer of yours. How
Charles could take such a thing into his head
was always incomprehensible to me. I hope
he will be more agreeable now. Certainly not
a great match for Louisa Musgrove, but a
million times better than marrying among the
Hayters/
Mary need not have feared her sister's being
in any degree prepared for the news. She had
never hi her life been more astonished. Captain
Benwick and Louisa Musgrove ! It was almost
too wonderful for belief, and it was with the
greatest effort that she could remain in the
room, preserve an air of calmness, and answer
the common questions of the moment. Happily
for her, they were not many. Sir Walter wanted
to know whether the Crofts travelled with four
horses, and whether they were likely to be
situated in such a part of Bath as it might suit
Miss Elliot and himself to visit in; but had
little curiosity beyond.
' How is Mary?' said Elizabeth; and with-
out waiting for an answer, 'And pray what
brings the Crofts to Bath ? '
10 Q 241
PERSUASION
< They come on the Admiral's account. He
is thought to be gouty.'
6 Gout and decrepitude ! ' said Sir Walter.
' Poor old gentleman ! '
* Have they any acquaintance here ? ' asked
Elizabeth.
' I do not know ; but I can hardly suppose
that, at Admiral Croft's time of life, and in his
profession, he should not have many acquaint-
ance in such a place as this.'
* I suspect,' said Sir Walter coolly, ' that
Admiral Croft will be best known in Bath as
the renter of Kellynch Hall. Elizabeth, may
we venture to present him and his wife in Laura
Place?'
6 Oh no ! I think not. Situated as we are
with Lady Dalrymple, cousins, we ought to be
very careful not to embarrass her with acquaint-
ance she might not approve. If we were not
related it would not signify; but as cousins,
she would feel scrupulous as to any proposal of
ours. We had better leave the Crofts to find
their own level. There are several odd-
looking men walking about here, who, I am
told, are sailors. The Crofts will associate with
them.'
This was Sir Walter and Elizabeth's share of
interest in the letter ; when Mrs. Clay had paid
her tribute of more decent attention, in an
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inquiry after Mrs. Charles Musgrove and her
fine little boys, Anne was at liberty.
In her own room she tried to comprehend it.
Well might Charles wonder how Captain Went-
worth would feel ! Perhaps he had quitted the
field, had given Louisa up, had ceased to love,
had found he did not love her. She could not
endure the idea of treachery or levity, or any-
thing akin to ill-usage between him and his
friend. She could not endure that such a friend-
ship as theirs should be severed unfairly.
Captain Benwick and Louisa Musgrove !
The high-spirited, joyous- talking Louisa Mus-
grove, and the dejected, thinking, feeling, reading
Captain Benwick, seemed each of them every-
thing that would not suit the other. Their
minds most dissimilar ! Where could have
been the attraction ? The answer soon pre-
sented itself. It had been in situation. They
had been thrown together several weeks ; they
had been living in the same small family party :
since Henrietta's coming away, they must have
been depending almost entirely on each other,
and Louisa, just recovering from illness, had
been in an interesting state, and Captain Ben-
wick was not inconsolable. That was a point
which Anne had not been able to avoid suspect-
ing before ; and instead of drawing the same
conclusion as Mary, from the present course of
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events, they served only to confirm the idea of
his having felt some dawning of tenderness
toward herself. She did not mean, however, to
derive much more from it to gratify her vanity
than Mary might have allowed. She was per-
suaded that any tolerably pleasing young woman
who had listened and seemed to feel for him
would have received the same compliment. He
had an affectionate heart. He must love some-
body.
She saw no reason against their being happy.
Louisa had fine naval fervour to begin with, and
they would soon grow more alike. He would
gain cheerfulness, and she would learn to be an
enthusiast for Scott and Lord Byron ; nay, that
was probably learnt already ; of course they had
fallen hi love over poetry. The idea of Louisa
Musgrove turned into a person of literary taste
and sentimental reflection was amusing, but she
had no doubt of its being so. The day at
Lyme, the fall from the Cobb, might influence
her health, her nerves, her courage, her char-
acter to the end of her life, as thoroughly as it
appeared to have influenced her fate.
The conclusion of the whole was, that if the
woman who had been sensible of Captain Went-
worth's merits could be allowed to prefer an-
other man, there was nothing in the engagement
to excite lasting wonder ; and if Captain Went-
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worth lost no friend by it, certainly nothing to
be regretted. No, it was not regret which made
Anne's heart beat in spite of herself, and brought
the colour into her cheeks when she thought of
Captain Wentworth unshackled and free. She
had some feelings which she was ashamed to
investigate. They were too much like joy,
senseless joy !
She longed to see the Crofts ; but when the
meeting took place, it was evident that no
rumour of the news had yet reached them. The
visit of ceremony was paid and returned; and
Louisa Musgrove was mentioned, and Captain
Benwick too, without even half a smile.
The Crofts had placed themselves in lodgings
in Gay Street, perfectly to Sir Walter's satis-
faction. He was not at all ashamed of the ac-
quaintance, and did, in fact, think and talk a
great deal more about the Admiral than the
Admiral ever thought or talked about him.
The Crofts knew quite as many people in
Bath as they wished for, and considered their
intercourse with the Elliots as a mere matter of
form, and not in the least likely to afford them
any pleasure. They brought with them their
country habit of being always together. He
was ordered to walk to keep off the gout, and
Mrs. Croft seemed to go shares with him in
everything, and to walk for her life to do him
10 Q* 245
PERSUASION
good. Anne saw them wherever she went.
Lady Russell took her out in her carriage almost
every morning, and she never failed to think of
them, and never failed to see them. Knowing
their feelings as she did, it was a most attractive
picture of happiness to her. She always watched
them as long as she could, delighted to fancy
she understood what they might be talking of,
as they walked along in happy independence, or
equally delighted to see the Admiral's hearty
shake of the hand when he encountered an old
friend, and observe their eagerness of conversa-
tion when occasionally forming into a little knot
of the navy, Mrs. Croft looking as intelligent
and keen as any of the officers around her.
Anne was too much engaged with Lady
Russell to be often walking herself ; but it so
happened that one morning, about a week or
ten days after the Crofts' arrival, it suited her
best to leave her friend, or her friend's carriage,
in the lower part of the town, and return alone
to Camden Place ; and in walking up Milsom
Street she had the good fortune to meet with
the Admiral. He was standing by himself, at
a printshop window, with his hands behind him,
in earnest contemplation of some print, and she
not only might have passed him unseen, but
was obliged to touch as well as address him
before she could catch his notice. When he
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did perceive and acknowledge her, however, it
was done with all his usual frankness and good
humour. ' Ha ! is it you ? Thank you, thank
you. This is treating me like a friend. Here
I am, you see, staring at a picture. I can never
get by this shop without stopping. But what
a thing here is, by way of a boat ! Do look at
it. Did you ever see the like ? What queer
fellows your fine painters must be, to think that
anybody would venture their lives in such a
shapeless old cockleshell as that ? And yet
here are two gentlemen stuck up in it mightily
at their ease, and looking about them at the
rocks and mountains, as if they were not to be
upset the next moment, which they certainly
must be. I wonder where that boat was built!'
(laughing heartily) ; ' I would not venture over
a horsepond in it. Well ' (turning away),
6 now, where are you bound ? Can I go any-
where for you, or with you ? Can I be of any
use?'
6 None, I thank you, unless you will give me
the pleasure of your company the little way our
road lies together. I am going home.'
6 That I will, with all my heart, and farther
too. Yes, yes, we will have a snug walk together,
and I have something to tell you as we go along.
There, take my arm that 's right ; I do not feel
comfortable if I have not a woman there. Lord !
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what a boat it is!' taking a last look at the
picture, as they began to be in motion.
'Did you say that you had something to tell
me, sir ? '
'Yes, I have, presently. But here comes
a friend, Captain Brigden ; I shall only say,
66 How d' ye do ? " as we pass, however. I shall
not stop. " How d' ye do ? " Brigden stares to
see anybody with me but my wife. She, poor
soul, is tied by the leg. She has a blister on
one of her heels, as large as a three-shilling piece.
If you look across the street, you will see
Admiral Brand coming down and his brother.
Shabby fellows, both of them. I am glad they
are not on this side of the way. Sophy cannot
bear them. They played me a pitiful trick once:
got away some of my best men. I will tell you
the whole story another time. There comes old
Sir Archibald Drew and his grandson. Look,
he sees us : he kisses his hand to you ; he takes
you for my wife. Ah ! the peace has come too
soon for that younker. Poor old Sir Archibald!
How do you like Bath, Miss Elliot ? It suits
us very well. We are always meeting with
some old friend or other : the streets full of them
every morning; sure to have plenty of chat;
and then we get away from them all, and shut
ourselves into our lodgings, and draw in our
chairs, and are as snug as if we were at Kellynch,
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ay, or as we used to be even at North Yarmouth
and Deal. We do not like our lodgings here
the worse, I can tell you, for putting us in mind
of those we first had at North Yarmouth. The
wind blows through one of the cupboards just
in the same way.'
When they were got a little farther, Anne
ventured to press again for what he had to com-
municate. She had hoped when clear of Milsom
Street to have her curiosity gratified; but she
was still obliged to wait, for the Admiral had
made up his mind not to begin till they had
gained the greater space and quiet of Belmont ;
and as she was not really Mrs. Croft, she must
let him have his own way. As soon as they
were fairly ascending Belmont, he began
'Well, now you shall hear something that
will surprise you. But first of all, you must
tell me the name of the young lady I am going
to talk about. That young lady, you know,
that we have all been so concerned for. The
Miss Musgrove that all this has been happening
to. Her Christian name: I always forget her
Christian name.'
Anne had been ashamed to appear to com-
prehend so soon as she really did ; but now she
could safely suggest the name of 'Louisa.'
' Ay, ay, Miss Louisa Musgrove, that is the
name. I wish young ladies had not such a
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number of fine Christian names. I should never
be out if they were all Sophys, or something
of that sort. Well, this Miss Louisa, we all
thought, you know, was to marry Frederick.
He was courting her week after week. The
only wonder was, what they could be waiting
for, till the business at Lyme came; then, indeed,
it was clear enough that they must wait till her
brain was set to right. But even then there was
something odd in their way of going on. Instead
of staying at Lyme, he went off to Plymouth,
and then he went off to see Edward. When
we came back from Minehead he was gone down
to Edward's, and there he has been ever since.
We have seen nothing of him since November.
Even Sophy could not understand it. But now,
the matter has taken the strangest turn of all ;
for this young lady, this same Miss Musgrove,
instead of being to marry Frederick, is to marry
James Benwick. You know James Benwick ? '
'A little. I am a little acquainted with
Captain Benwick.'
'Well, she is to marry him. Nay, most
likely they are married already, for I do not
know what they should wait for.'
* I thought Captain Benwick a very pleasing
young man,' said Anne, * and I understand that
he bears an excellent character.'
' Oh ! yes, yes, there is not a word to be said
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against James Benwick. He is only a com-
mander, it is true, made last summer, and these
are bad times for getting on, but he has not
another fault that I know of. An excellent,
good-hearted fellow, I assure you ; a very active,
zealous officer, too, which is more than you
would think for, perhaps, for that soft sort of
manner does not do him justice.'
' Indeed, you are mistaken there, sir ; I should
never augur want of spirit from Captain Ben-
wick's manners. I thought them particularly
pleasing, and I will answer for it, they would
generally please.'
6 Well, well, ladies are the best judges ; but
James Benwick is rather too piano for me ; and
though very likely it is all our partiality, Sophy
and I cannot help thinking Frederick's manners
better than his. There is something about
Frederick more to our taste.'
Anne was caught. She had only meant to
oppose the too common idea of spirit and
gentleness being incompatible with each other,
not at all to represent Captain Benwick's
manners as the very best that could possibly be ;
and, after a little hesitation, she was beginning
to say, ' I was not entering into any comparison
of the two friends'; but the Admiral interrupted
her with
* And the thing is certainly true. It is not a
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mere bit of gossip. We have it from Frederick
himself. His sister had a letter from him yes-
terday, in which he tells us of it, and he had just
had it in a letter from Harville, written upon
the spot, from Uppercross. I fancy they are all
at Uppercross.'
This was an opportunity which Anne could
not resist ; she said, therefore, ' I hope, Admiral,
I hope there is nothing in the style of Captain
Wentworth's letter to make you and Mrs.
Croft particularly uneasy. It did certainly
seem, last autumn, as if there were an attach-
ment between him and Louisa Musgrove ; but
I hope it may be understood to have worn out
on each side equally, and without violence. I
hope his letter does not breathe the spirit of an
ill-used man.'
( Not at all, not at all : there is not an oath
or a murmur from beginning to end.'
Anne looked down to hide her smile.
'No, no; Frederick is not a man to whine
and complain ; he has too much spirit for that.
If the girl likes another man better, it is very
fit she should have him.'
* Certainly. But what I mean is, that I hope
there is nothing in Captain Wentworth's manner
of writing to make you suppose he thinks him-
self ill-used by his friend, which might appear,
you know, without its being absolutely said. I
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should be very sorry that such a friendship as
has subsisted between him and Captain Benwick
should be destroyed, or even wounded by a
circumstance of this sort.'
'Yes, yes, I understand you. But there is
nothing at all of that nature in the letter. He
does not give the least fling at Benwick ; does
not so much as say, " I wonder at it. I have a
reason of my own for wondering at it." No,
you would not guess, from his way of writing,
that he had ever thought of this Miss (what 's
her name ?) for himself. He very handsomely
hopes they will be happy together ; and there is
nothing very unforgiving in that, I think.'
Anne did not receive the perfect conviction
which the Admiral meant to convey, but it
would have been useless to press the inquiry
farther. She therefore satisfied herself with
commonplace remarks or quiet attention, and
the Admiral had it all his own way.
* PooY Frederick ! ' said he, at last. * Now he
must begin all over again with somebody else.
I think we must get him to Bath. Sophy must
write, and beg him to come to Bath. Here are
pretty girls enough, I am sure. It would be of
no use to go to Uppercross again, for that other
Miss Musgrove, I find, is bespoke by her cousin,
the young parson. Do not you think, Miss
Elliot, we had better try to get him to Bath ?'
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CHAPTER XIX
WHILE Admiral Croft was taking this walk
with Anne, and expressing his wish of getting
Captain Wentworth to Bath, Captain Went-
worth was already on his way thither. Before
Mrs. Croft had written, he was arrived, and the
very next time Anne walked out, she saw him.
Mr. Elliot was attending his two cousins and
Mrs. Clay. They were in Milsom Street. It
began to rain, not much, but enough to make
shelter desirable for women, and quite enough
to make it very desirable for Miss Elliot to
have the advantage of being conveyed home in
Lady Dalrymple's carriage, which was seen
waiting at a little distance : she, Anne, and
Mrs. Clay, therefore, turned into Molland's,
while Mr. Elliot stepped to Lady Dalrymple, to
request her assistance. He soon joined them
again, successful, of course: Lady Dalrymple
would be most happy to take them home, and
would call for them in a few minutes.
Her ladyship's carriage was a barouche, and
did not hold more than four with any comfort.
Miss Carteret was with her mother ; conse-
quently it was not reasonable to expect accom-
modation for all the three Camden Place ladies.
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There could be no doubt as to Miss Elliot.
Whoever suffered inconvenience, she must suffer
none, but it occupied a little time to settle the
point of civility between the other two. The
rain was a mere trifle, and Anne was most
sincere in preferring a walk with Mr. Elliot.
But the rain was also a mere trifle to Mrs. Clay;
she would hardly allow it even to drop at all,
and her boots were so thick! much thicker
than Miss Anne's ; and, in short, her civility
rendered her quite as anxious to be left to walk
with Mr. Elliot as Anne could be, and it was
discussed between them with a generosity so
polite and so determined, that the others were
obliged to settle it for them; Miss Elliot
maintaining that Mrs. Clay had a little cold
already, and Mr. Elliot deciding, on appeal,
that his cousin Anne's boots were rather the
thickest.
It was fixed, accordingly, that Mrs. Clay
should be of the party in the carriage ; and they
had just reached this point, when Anne, as she
sat near the window, descried, most decidedly
and distinctly, Captain Wentworth walking
down the street.
Her start was perceptible only to herself; but
she instantly felt that she was the greatest
simpleton in the world, the most unaccountable
and absurd ! For a few minutes she saw nothing
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before her : it was all confusion. She was lost,
and when she had scolded back her senses, she
found the others still waiting for the carriage,
and Mr. Elliot (always obliging) just setting
off for Union Street on a commission of Mrs.
Clay's.
She now felt a great inclination to go to the
outer door ; she wanted to see if it rained.
Why was she to suspect herself of another
motive? Captain Wentworth must be out of
sight. She left her seat, she would go; one
half of her should not be always so much wiser
than the other half, or always suspecting the
other of being worse than it was. She would
see if it rained. She was sent back, however,
in a moment, by the entrance of Captain Went-
worth himself, among a party of gentlemen and
ladies, evidently his acquaintance, and whom he
must have joined a little below Milsom Street.
He was more obviously struck and confused by
the sight of her than she had ever observed
before ; he looked quite red. For the first time
since their renewed acquaintance, she felt that
she was betraying the least sensibility of the
two. She had the advantage of him in the pre-
paration of the last few moments. All the
overpowering, blinding, bewildering, first effects
of strong surprise were over with her. Still,
however, she had enough to feel ! It was
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agitation, pain, pleasure a something between
delight and misery.
He spoke to her, and then turned away.
The character of his manner was embarrass-
ment. She could not have called it either cold
or friendly, or anything so certainly as embar-
rassed.
After a short interval, however, he came
towards her and spoke again. Mutual inquiries
on common subjects passed : neither of them,
probably, much the wiser for what they heard,
and Anne continuing fully sensible of his being
less at ease than formerly. They had, by dint
of being so very much together, got to speak
to each other with a considerable portion of
apparent indifference and calmness ; but he could
not do it now. Time had changed him, or Louisa *-
had changed him. There was consciousness of
some sort or other. He looked very well, not
as if he had been suffering in health or spirits,
and he talked of Uppercross, of the Musgroves,
nay, even of Louisa, and had even a momentary
look of his own arch significance as he named
her; but yet it was Captain Wentworth not
comfortable, not easy, not able to feign that
he was.
It did not surprise, but it grieved Anne to
observe that Elizabeth would not know him.
She saw that he saw Elizabeth, that Elizabeth
10 TI 257
PERSUASION
saw him, that there was complete internal re-
cognition on each side ; she was convinced that
he was ready to be acknowledged as an acquaint-
ance, expecting it, and she had the pain of seeing
her sister turn away with unalterable coldness.
Lady Dalrymple's carriage, for which Miss
Elliot was growing very impatient, now drew
up ; the servant came in to announce it. It
was beginning to rain again, and altogether
there was a delay, and a bustle, and a talking,
which must make all the little crowd in the
shop understand that Lady Dalrymple was
calling to convey Miss Elliot. At last Miss
Elliot and her friend, unattended but by the
servant (for there was no cousin returned), were
walking off; and Captain Wentworth, watching
them, turned again to Anne, and by manner,
rather than words, was offering his services to
her.
* I am much obliged to you,' was her answer,
' but I am not going with them. The carriage
would not accommodate so many. I walk :
I prefer walking.'
' But it rains.'
* Oh ! very little. Nothing that I regard.'
After a moment's pause, he said : 6 Though
I came only yesterday, I have equipped myself
properly for Bath already, you see ' (pointing to
a new umbrella) ; 6 1 wish you would make use
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of it, if you are determined to walk ; though 1
think it would be more prudent to let me get
you a chair.'
She was very much obliged to him, but de-
clined it all, repeating her conviction, that the
rain would come to nothing at present, and
adding, < I am only waiting for Mr. Elliot. He
will be here in a moment, I am sure.'
She had hardly spoken the words when Mr.
Elliot walked in. Captain Wentworth recol-
lected him perfectly. There was no difference
between him and the man who had stood on the
steps at Lyme, admiring Anne as she passed,
except in the air and look and manner of the
privileged relation and friend. He came in with
eagerness, appeared to see and think only of her,
apologised for his stay, was grieved to have
kept her waiting, and anxious to get her away
without farther loss of time, and before the rain
increased ; and in another moment they walked
off together, her arm under his, a gentle and
embarrassed glance, and a 'Good morning to
you ! ' being all that she had time for, as she
passed away.
As soon as they were out of sight, the ladies
of Captain Wentworth's party began talking
of them.
' Mr. Elliot does not dislike his cousin, I
fancy ? '
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' Oh ! no, that is clear enough. One can
guess what will happen there. He is always
with them ; half lives in the family, I believe.
What a very good-looking man ! '
'Yes, and Miss Atkinson, who dined with
him once at the Wallises', says he is the
most agreeable man she ever was in company
with.'
' She is pretty, I think ; Anne Elliot ; very
pretty when one comes to look at her. It is
not the fashion to say so, but I confess I admire
her more than her sister.'
' Oh ! so do I.'
* And so do I. No comparison. But the
men are all wild after Miss Elliot. Anne is too
delicate for them.'
Anne would have been particularly obliged
to her cousin if he would have walked by her
side all the way to Camden Place without saying
a word. She had never found it so difficult to
listen to him, though nothing could exceed his
solicitude and care, and though his subjects
were principally such as were wont to be always
interesting : praise, warm, just, and discrimin-
ating, of Lady Russell, and insinuations highly
rational against Mrs. Clay. But just now she
could think only of Captain Wentworth. She
could not understand his present feelings,
whether he were really suffering much from
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disappointment or not ; and till that point were
settled, she could not be quite herself.
She hoped to be wise and reasonable in time ; V^
but alas ! alas ! she must confess to herself that
she was not wise yet.
Another circumstance very essential for her
to know, was how long he meant to be hi Bath ;
he had not mentioned it, or she could not re-
collect it. He might be only passing through.
But it was more probable that he should be
come to stay. In that case, so liable as every-
body was to meet everybody in Bath, Lady
Russell would in all likelihood see him some-
where. Would she recollect him ? How would
it all be ?
She had already been obliged to tell Lady 4-
Russell that Louisa Musgrove was to marry
Captain Ben wick. It had cost her something
to encounter Lady Russell's surprise ; and now, MTAA
if she were by any chance to be thrown into
company with Captain Wentworth, her im- /jt/M ^
perfect knowledge of the matter might add
another shade of prejudice against him.
The following morning Anne was out with
her friend, and for the first hour, in an incessant
and fearful sort of watch for him in vain ; but
at last, in returning down Pulteney Street, she '<^
distinguished him on the right-hand pavement J*^
at such a distance as to have him in view the
10 a* 261
PERSUASION
greater part of the street. There were many
other men about him, many groups walking the
same way, but there was no mistaking him.
She looked instinctively at Lady Russell, but
not from any mad idea of her recognising him
so soon as she did herself. No, it was not to
be supposed that Lady Russell would percefve
him till they were nearly opposite. She looked
at her, however, from time to time, anxiously ;
and when the moment approached which must
point him out, though not daring to look again
(for her own countenance she knew was unfit
to be seen), she was yet perfectly conscious of
Lady Russell's eyes being turned exactly in the
direction for him of her being, in short, intently
observing him. She could thoroughly compre-
hend the sort of fascination he must possess over
Lady Russell's mind, the difficulty it must be
for her to withdraw her eyes, the astonishment
she must be feeling that eight or nine years
should have passed over him, and in foreign
climes and in active service too, without robbing
him of one personal grace !
At last Lady Russell drew back her head.
' Now, how would she speak of him ? '
' You will wonder,' said she, * what has been
fixing my eye so long ; but I was looking after
some window-curtains, which Lady Alicia and
Mrs. Frankland were telling me of last night.
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They described the drawing - room window-
curtains of one of the houses on this side of
the way, and this part of the street, as being
the handsomest and best hung of any in Bath,
but could not recollect the exact number, and
I have been trying to find out which it could
be; but I confess I can see no curtains hereabouts
that answer their description.'
Anne sighed, and blushed, and smiled, in pity
and disdain, either at her friend or herself. The
part which provoked her most, was that in all
this waste of foresight and caution, she should"
have lost the right moment for seeing whether
he saw them.
A day or two passed without producing any-
thing. The theatre or the rooms, where he was
most likely to be, were not fashionable enough
for the Elliots, whose evening amusements were
solely in the elegant stupidity of private parties,
in which they were getting more and more
engaged ; and Anne, wearied of such a state of
stagnation, sick of knowing nothing, and fancy-
ing herself stronger because her strength was
not tried, was quite impatient for the concert
evening. It was a concert for the benefit of
a person patronised by Lady Dalrymple. Of
course they must attend. It was really expected
to be a good one, and Captain Wentworth was
very fond of music. If she could only have
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a few minutes' conversation with him again, she
fancied she should be satisfied; and as to the
power of addressing him, she felt all over courage
if the opportunity occurred. Elizabeth had
turned from him, Lady Russell overlooked him :
her nerves were strengthened by these circum-
stances ; she felt that she owed him attention.
She had once partly promised Mrs. Smith to
spend the evening with her; but in a short
hurried call she excused herself and put it off,
with the more decided promise of a longer visit
on the morrow. Mrs. Smith gave a most good-
humoured acquiescence.
* By all means,' said she ; * only tell me all
about it, when you do come. Who is your
party ? '
Anne named them all. Mrs. Smith made no
reply ; but when she was leaving her said, and
with an expression half serious, half arch, ' Well,
I heartily wish your concert may answer ; and
do not fail me to-morrow if you can come ; for
I begin to have a foreboding that I may not
have many more visits from you.'
Anne was startled and confused; but after
standing in a moment's suspense, was obliged,
and not sorry to be obliged, to hurry away.
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CHAPTER XX
SIR WALTER, his two daughters, and Mrs. Clay
were the earliest of all their party at the rooms
in the evening ; and as Lady Dalrymple must
be waited for, they took their station by one of
the fires in the Octagon Room. But hardly
were they so settled, when the door opened
again, and Captain Wentworth walked in alone.
Anne was the nearest to him, and making yet
a little advance, she instantly spoke. He was
preparing only to bow and pass on, but her
gentle * How do you do ? ' brought him out of
the straight line to stand near her, and make
inquiries in return, in spite of the formidable
father and sister in the background. Their
being in the background was a support to Anne;
she knew nothing of their looks, and felt equal
to everything which she believed right to be
done.
While they were speaking, a whispering be-
tween her father and Elizabeth caught her ear.
She could not distinguish, but she must guess
the subject ; and on Captain Wentworth 's mak-
ing a distant bow, she comprehended that her
father had judged so well as to give him that
simple acknowledgment of acquaintance, and
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she was just in time by a side-glance to see
a slight curtsey from Elizabeth herself. This,
though late, and reluctant, and ungracious, was
yet better than nothing, and her spirits im-
proved.
After talking, however, of the weather, and
Bath, and the concert, their conversation began
to flag, and so little was said at last, that she
was expecting him to go every moment, but he
did not : he seemed in no hurry to leave her ;
and presently with renewed spirit, with a little
smile, a little glow, he said
'I have hardly seen you since our day at
Lyme. I am afraid you must have suffered
from the shock, and the more from its not over-
powering you at the time.'
She assured him that she had not.
* It was a frightful hour,' said he ; 'a frightful
day ! ' and he passed his hand across his eyes,
as if the remembrance were still too painful,
but in a moment, half smiling again, added,
' The day has produced some effects, however ;
has had some consequences which must be
considered as the very reverse of frightful.
When you had the presence of mind to suggest
that Benwick would be the properest person to
fetch a surgeon, you could have little idea of
his being eventually one of those most concerned
in her recovery.'
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' Certainly I could have none. But it appears
I should hope it would be a very happy
match. There are on both sides good principles
and good temper.'
* Yes,' said he, looking not exactly forward ;
'but there, I think, ends the resemblance.
With all my soul I wish them happy, and
rejoice over every circumstance in favour of it.
They have no difficulties to contend with at
home, no opposition, no caprice, no delays. The
Musgroves are behaving like themselves, most
honourably and kindly, only anxious with true
parental hearts to promote their daughter's
comfort. All this is much, very much hi favour
of their happiness ; more than perhaps '
He stopped. A sudden recollection seemed
to occur, and to give him some taste of that
emotion which was reddening Anne's cheeks
and fixing her eyes on the ground. After clear-
ing his throat, however, he proceeded thus
' I confess that I do think there is a disparity,
too great a disparity, and in a point no less
essential than mind. I regard Louisa Musgrove
as a very amiable, sweet-tempered girl, and not
deficient in understanding, but Benwick is some-
thing more. He is a clever man, a reading man ;
and I confess that I do consider his attaching
himself to her with some surprise. Had it been
the effect of gratitude, had he learnt to love her,
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because he believed her to be preferring him,
it would have been another thing. But I have
no reason to suppose it so. It seems, on the
contrary, to have been a perfectly spontaneous,
untaught feeling on his side, and this surprises
me. A man like him, in his situation! with
a heart pierced, wounded, almost broken ! Fanny
Harville was a very superior creature, and his
attachment to her was indeed attachment. A
man does not recover from such a devotion of
the heart to such a woman ! He ought not ;
he does not.'
Either from the consciousness, however, that
his friend had recovered, or from some other con-
sciousness, he went no farther ; and Anne who,
in spite of the agitated voice in which the latter
part had been uttered, and in spite of all the
various noises of the room, the almost ceaseless
slam of the door, and ceaseless buzz of persons
walking through, had distinguished every word,
was struck, gratified, confused, and beginning
to breathe very quick, and feel an hundred
things in a moment. It was impossible for her
to enter on such a subject ; and yet, after a pause,
feeling the necessity of speaking, and having not
the smallest wish for a total change, she only
deviated so far as to say
' You were a good while at Lyme, I think ? '
* About a fortnight. I could not leave it
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till Louisa's doing well was quite ascertained
I had been too deeply concerned in the mischief
to be soon at peace. It had been my doing,
solely mine. She would not have been obstinate
if I had not been weak. The country round Lyme
is very fine. I walked and rode a great deal,
and the more I saw, the more I found to admire.'
' I should very much like to see Lyme again/
said Anne.
' Indeed ! I should not have supposed that
you could have found anything in Lyme to
inspire such a feeling. The horror and distress
you were involved in, the stretch of mind, the
wear of spirits! I should have thought your
last impressions of Lyme must have been strong
disgust.'
'The last few hours were certainly very
painful,' replied Anne ; ' but when pain is over, / ^,
the remembrance of it often becomes a pleasure.
One does not love a place the less for having * ^
suffered in it, unless it has been all suffering, ^//^
nothing but suffering, which was by no means <j$
the case at Lyme. We were only in anxiety
and distress during the last two hours, and pre-
viously there had been a great deal of enjoyment.
So much novelty and beauty ! 1 have travelled
so little, that every fresh place would be interest-
ing to me ; but there is real beauty at Lyme ;
and in short,' with a faint blush at some recol-
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lections, * altogether my impressions of the place
are very agreeable.'
As she ceased, the entrance door opened
again, and the very party appeared for whom
they were waiting. 'Lady Dalrymple, Lady
Dalrymple 1 ' was the rejoicing sound ; and
with all the eagerness compatible with anxious
elegance, Sir Walter and his two ladies stepped
forward to meet her. Lady Dalrymple and
Miss Carteret, escorted by Mr. Elliot and
Colonel Wallis, who had happened to arrive
nearly at the same instant, advanced into the
room. The others joined them, and it was a
group in which Anne found herself also neces-
sarily included. She was divided from Captain
Wentworth. Their interesting, almost too in-
teresting conversation, must be broken up for
a time, but slight was the penance compared
with the happiness which brought it on ! She
had learnt, in the last ten minutes, more of his
feelings towards Louisa, more of all his feelings,
than she dared to think of ; and she gave herself
up to the demands of the party, to the needful
civilities of the moment, with exquisite, though
agitated sensations. She was in good humour
with all. She had received ideas which disposed
her to be courteous and kind to all, and to pity
every one, as being less happy than herself.
The delightful emotions were a little subdued,
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when on stepping back from the group, to be
joined again by Captain Wentworth, she saw
that he was gone. She was just in time to see
him turn into the Concert Room. He was
gone he had disappeared, she felt a moment's
regret. But 'they should meet again. He
would look for her, he would find her out long
before the evening were over, and at present,
perhaps, it was as well to be asunder. She was
in need of a little interval for recollection.'
Upon Lady Russell's appearance soon after-
wards, the whole party was collected, and all
that remained was to marshal themselves, and
proceed into the Concert Room ; and be of all
the consequence in their power, draw as many
eyes, excite as many whispers, and disturb as
many people as they could.
Very, very happy were both Elizabeth and
Anne Elliot as they walked in. Elizabeth, arm-
in-arm with Miss Carteret, and looking on the
broad back of the Dowager- Viscountess Dal-
rymple before her, had nothing to wish for
which did not seem within her reach ; and Anne
but it would be an insult to the nature
of Anne's felicity to draw any comparison be-
tween it and her sister's : the origin of one
all selfish vanity, of the other all generous
attachment.
Anne saw nothing, thought nothing of the
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brilliancy of the room. Her happiness was from
within. Her eyes were bright, and her cheeks
glowed; but she knew nothing about it. She
was thinking only of the last half-hour, and
as they passed to their seats, her mind took
a hasty range over it. His choice of subjects,
his expressions, and still more his manner and
look, had been such as she could see in only one
light. His opinion of Louisa Musgrove's in-
feriority, an opinion which he had seemed
solicitous to give, his wonder at Captain Ben-
wick, his feelings as to a first, strong attachment ;
sentences begun which he could not finish, his
half- averted eyes and more than half- expressive
glance, all, all declared that he had a heart
returning to her at least ; that anger, resent-
ment, avoidance were no more ; and that they
were succeeded, not merely by friendship and
regard, but by the tenderness of the past. Yes,
some share of the tenderness of the past ! She
could not contemplate the change as implying
less. He must love her.
These were thoughts, with their attendant
visions, which occupied and flurried her too
much to leave her any power of observation ;
and she passed along the room without having
a glimpse of him, without even trying to discern
him. When their places were determined on,
and they were all properly arranged, she looked
272
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round to see if he should happen to be in the
same part of the room, but he was not ; her eye
could not reach him ; and the concert being just
opening, she must consent for a time to be happy
in an humbler way.
The party was divided and disposed of on
two contiguous benches : Anne was among
those on the foremost, and Mr. Elliot had
manoeuvred so well, with the assistance of his
friend Colonel Wallis, as to have a seat by her.
Miss Elliot, surrounded by her cousins, and the
principal object of Colonel Wallis's gallantry,
was quite contented.
Anne's mind was in a most favourable state
for the entertainment of the evening ; it was
just occupation enough : she had feelings for
the tender, spirits for the gay, attention for the
scientific, and patience for the wearisome; and
had never liked a concert better, at least during
the first act. Towards the close of it, in the
interval succeeding an Italian song, she explained
the words of the song to Mr. Elliot. They had
a concert bill between them.
' This,' said she, ' is nearly the sense, or rather
the meaning of the words, for certainly the
sense of an Italian love-song must not be talked
of, but it is as nearly the meaning as I can give ;
for I do not pretend to understand the language.
I am a very poor Italian scholar.'
10 s 273
PERSUASION
'Yes, yes, I see you are. I see you know
nothing of the matter. You have only know-
ledge enough of the language to translate at
sight these inverted, transposed, curtailed Italian
lines into clear, comprehensible, elegant English.
You need not say anything more of your ignor-
ance. Here is complete proof.'
( I will not oppose such kind politeness ; but
I should be sorry to be examined by a real
proficient.'
' I have not had the pleasure of visiting in
Camden Place so long,' replied he, 'without
knowing something of Miss Anne Elliot ; and
I do regard her as one who is too modest for
the world in general to be aware of half her
accomplishments, and too highly accomplished
for modesty to be natural hi any other woman.'
6 For shame ! for shame ! this is too much of
flattery. I forget what we are to have next,'
turning to the bill.
' Perhaps,' said Mr. Elliot, speaking low, ' I
have had a longer acquaintance with your char-
acter than you are aware of.'
* Indeed ! How so ? You can have been
acquainted with it only since I came to Bath,
excepting as you might hear me previously
spoken of in my own family.'
' I knew you by report long before you came
to Bath. I had heard you described by those
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PERSUASION
who knew you intimately. I have been ac-
quainted with you by character many years.
Your person, your disposition, accomplishments,
manner : they were all described, they were all
present to me.'
Mr. Elliot was not disappointed in the interest
he hoped to raise. No one can withstand the
charm of such a mystery. To have been de-
scribed long ago to a recent acquaintance, by
nameless people, is irresistible; and Anne was
all curiosity. She wondered, and questioned
him eagerly ; but in vain. He delighted in
being asked, but he would not tell.
* No, no, some time or other, perhaps, but not
now. He would mention no names now ; but
such, he could assure her, had been the fact.
He had many years ago received such a descrip-
tion of Miss Anne Elliot as had inspired him
with the highest idea of her merit, and excited
the warmest curiosity to know her.'
Anne could think of no one so likely to have
spoken with partiality of her many years ago
as the Mr. Wentworth of Monkford, Captain
Wentworth's brother. He might have been in
Mr. Elliot's company, but she had not courage
to ask the question.
* The name of Anne Elliot,' said he, ' has long
had an interesting sound to me. Very long has
it possessed a charm over my fancy ; and, if I
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dared, I would breathe my wishes that the name
might never change.'
Such, she believed, were his words ; but
scarcely had she received their sound, than her
attention was caught by other sounds imme-
diately behind her, which rendered everything
else trivial. Her father and Lady Dalrymple
were speaking.
6 A well-looking man,' said Sir Walter; * a very
well- looking man.'
* A very fine young man, indeed ! ' said Lady
Dalrymple. * More air than one often sees in
Bath. Irish, I dare say ? '
'No, I just know his name. A bowing ac-
quaintance. Wentworth : Captain Wentworth
of the navy. His sister married my tenant in
Somersetshire, the Croft who rents Kellynch.'
Before Sir Walter had reached this point,
Anne's eyes had caught the right direction,
and distinguished Captain Wentworth, standing
among a cluster of men at a little distance. As
her eyes fell on him, his seemed to be with-
drawn from her. It had that appearance. It
seemed as if she had been one moment too late;
and as long as she dared observe, he did not
look again ; but the performance was recom-
mencing, and she was forced to seem to restore
her attention to the orchestra, and look straight
forward.
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When she could give another glance, he had
moved away. He could not have come nearer
to her if he would : she was so surrounded and
shut in ; but she would rather have caught his
eye.
Mr. Elliot's speech, too, distressed her. She
had uo longer any inclination to talk to him.
She wished him not so near her.
The first act was over. Now she hoped for
some beneficial change; and, after a period of
nothing-saying amongst the party, some of them
did decide on going in quest of tea. Anne was
one of the few who did not chuse to move.
She remained in her seat, and so did Lady
Russell ; but she had the pleasure of getting rid
of Mr. Elliot : and she did not mean, whatever
she might feel on Lady Russell's account, to
shrink from conversation with Captain Went-
worth, if he gave her the opportunity. She
was persuaded by Lady Russell's countenance
that she had seen him.
He did not come, however. Anne sometimes
fancied she discerned him at a distance, but he
never came. The anxious interval wore away
unproductively. The others returned, the room
filled again, benches were reclaimed and repos-
sessed, and another hour of pleasure or of penance
was to be sat out, another hour of music was to
give delight or the gapes, as real or affected
10 s* 277
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taste for it prevailed. To Anne it chiefly wore
the prospect of an hour of agitation. She could
not quit that room in peace without seeing
Captain Weaitworth once more, without the
interchange of one friendly look.
In resettling themselves there were now
many changes, the result of which was favour-
able for her. Colonel Wallis declined sitting
down again, and Mr. Elliot was invited by
Elizabeth and Miss Carteret, in a manner not
to be refused, to sit between them ; and by some
other removals, and a little scheming of her
own, Anne was enabled to place herself much
nearer the end of the bench than she had been
before, much more within reach of a passer-by.
She could not do so without comparing herself
with Miss Larolles, the inimitable Miss Larolles ;
but still she did it, and not with much happier
effect; though by what seemed prosperity in
the shape of an early abdication in her next
neighbours, she found herself at the very end
of the bench before the concert closed.
Such was her situation, with a vacant space
at hand, when Captain Wentworth was again
in sight. She saw him not far off. He saw
her too; yet he looked grave, and seemed
irresolute, and only by very slow degrees came
at last near enough to speak to her. She felt
that something must be the matter. The change
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was indubitable. The difference between his
present air and what it had been in the Octagon
Room was strikingly great. Why was it ? She
thought of her father, of Lady Russell. Could
there have been any unpleasant glances ? He
began by speaking of the concert gravely, more
like the Captain Wentworth of Uppercross ;
owned himself disappointed, had expected better
singing ; and, in short, must confess that he
should not be sorry when it was over. Anne
replied, and spoke in defence of the performance
so well, and yet in allowance for his feelings
so pleasantly, that his countenance improved,
and he replied again with almost a smile. They
talked for a few minutes more: the improve-
ment held ; he even looked down towards the
bench, as if he saw a place on it well worth
occupying ; when at that moment a touch on
her shoulder obliged Anne to turn round. It
came from Mr. Elliot. He begged her pardon,
but she must be applied to, to explain Italian
again. Miss Carteret was very anxious to have
a general idea of what was next to be sung.
Anne could not refuse ; but never had she sacri-
ficed to politeness with a more suffering spirit.
A few minutes, though as few as possible,
were inevitably consumed ; and when her own
mistress again, when able to turn and look as
she had done before, she found herself accosted
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by Captain Went worth, in a reserved yet
humed sort of farewell. 'He must wish her
good-night ; he was going ; he should get home
as fast as he could.'
'Is not this song worth staying for?' said
Anne, suddenly struck by an idea which made
her yet more anxious to be encouraging.
' No ! ' he replied impressively, * there is no-
thing worth my staying for ' ; and he was gone
directly.
Jealousy of Mr. Elliot ! It was the only
intelligible motive. Captain Went worth j ealous
of her affection ! Could she have believed it a
week ago three hours ago ! For a moment
the gratification was exquisite. But, alas ! there
were very different thoughts to succeed. How
was such jealousy to be quieted ? How was the
truth to reach him ? How, in all the peculiar
disadvantages of their respective situations,
would he ever learn her real sentiments ? It
was misery to think of Mr. Elliot's attentions.
Their evil was incalculable.
CHAPTER XXI
ANNE recollected with pleasure the next morn-
ing her promise of going to Mrs. Smith, mean-
280
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ing that it should engage her from home at the
time when Mr. Elliot would be most likely to
call, for to avoid Mr. Elliot was almost a first
object.
She felt a great deal of goodwill towards
him. In spite of the mischief of his attentions,
she owed him gratitude and regard, perhaps
compassion. She could not help thinking much
of the extraordinary circumstances attending
their acquaintance, of the right which he seemed
to have to interest her, by everything in situa-
tion, by his own sentiments, by his early pre-
possession. It was altogether very extraordinary;
flattering, but painful. There was much to
regret. How she might have felt had there
been no Captain Wentworth in the case, was
not worth inquiry; for there was a Captain
Wentworth ; and be the conclusion of the
present suspense good or bad, her affection
would be his for ever. Their union, she be-
lieved, could not divide her more from other
men than their final separation.
Prettier musings of high-wrought love and
eternal constancy could never have passed along
the streets of Bath than Anne was sporting with
from Camden Place to Westgate Buildings.
It was almost enough to spread purification and
perfume all the way.
She was sure of a pleasant reception ; and her
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friend seemed this morning particularly obliged
to her for coming, seemed hardly to have ex-
pected her, though it had been an appointment.
An account of the concert was immediately
claimed ; and Anne's recollections of the concert
were quite happy enough to animate her features
and make her rejoice to talk of it. All that she
could tell she told most gladly, but the all was
little for one who had been there, and unsatis-
factory for such an inquirer as Mrs. Smith, who
had already heard, through the short cut of a
laundress and a waiter, rather more of the
general success and produce of the evening than
Anne could relate, and who now asked in vain
for several particulars of the company. Every-
body of any consequence or notoriety in Bath
was well known by name to Mrs. Smith.
6 The little Durands were there, I conclude,'
said she, ' with their mouths open to catch the
music, like unfledged sparrows ready to be fed.
They never miss a concert.'
* Yes ; I did not see them myself, but I heard
Mr. Elliot say they were in the room.'
"The Ibbotsons, were they there? and the
two new beauties, with the tall Irish officer, who
is talked of for one of them ? '
* I do not know. I do not think they were.'
' Old Lady Mary Maclean ? I need not ask
after her. She never misses, I know ; and you
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must have seen her. She must have been in
your own circle; for as you went with Lady
Dalrymple, you were in the seats of grandeur,
round the orchestra, of course. 5
' No, that was what I dreaded. It would
have been very unpleasant to me in every re-
spect. But happily Lady Dalrymple always
chuses to be farther off; and we were exceed-
ingly well placed, that is, for hearing ; I must
not say for seeing, because I appear to have seen
very little.'
* Oh ! you saw enough for your own amuse-
ment. I can understand. There is a sort of
domestic enjoyment to be known even in a
crowd, and this you had. You were a large
party in yourselves, and you wanted nothing
beyond.'
( But I ought to have looked about me more,'
said Anne, conscious while she spoke that there
had in fact been no want of looking about, that
the object only had been deficient.
'No, no; you were better employed. You
need not tell me that you had a pleasant even-
ing. I see it in your eye. I perfectly see how
the hours passed: that you had always some-
thing agreeable to listen to. In the intervals of
the concert it was conversation.'
Anne half smiled and said, * Do you see that
in my eye ? '
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* Yes, I do. Your countenance perfectly
informs me that you were in company last night
with the person whom you think the most agree-
able in the world, the person who interests you
at this present time more than all the rest of the
world put together.'
A blush overspread Anne's cheeks. She could
say nothing.
'And such being the case,' continued Mrs.
Smith, after a short pause, ' I hope you believe
that I do know how to value your kindness
in coming to me this morning. It is really very
good of you to come and sit with me, when you
must have so many pleasanter demands upon
your time.'
Anne heard nothing of this. She was still in
the astonishment and confusion excited by her
friend's penetration, unable to imagine how any
report of Captain Wentworth could have reached
her. After another short silence
* Pray,' said Mrs. Smith, * is Mr. Elliot aware
of your acquaintance with me ? Does he know
that I am in Bath ? '
e Mr. Elliot ! ' repeated Anne, looking up sur-
prised. A moment's reflection shewed her the
mistake she had been under. She caught it
instantaneously ; and recovering courage with
the feeling of safety, soon added, more com-
posedly, * Are you acquainted with Mr. Elliot ? '
284
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' I have been a good deal acquainted with
him,' replied Mrs. Smith gravely, * but it seems
worn out now. It is a great while since we
met/
* I was not at all aware of this. You never
mentioned it before. Had I known it, I would
have had the pleasure of talking to him about
you. 5
* To confess the truth,' said Mrs. Smith,
assuming her usual air of cheerfulness, 'that
is exactly the pleasure I want you to have.
I want you to talk about me to Mr. Elliot.
I want your interest with him. He can be
of essential service to me; and if you would
have the goodness, my dear Miss Elliot, to
make it an object to yourself, of course it is
done.'
"I should be extremely happy; I hope you
cannot doubt my willingness to be of even the
slightest use to you,' replied Anne ; ' but I sus-
pect that you are considering me as having a
higher claim on Mr. Elliot, a greater right to
influence him, than is really the case. I am
sure you have, somehow or other, imbibed such
a notion. You must consider me only as Mr.
Elliot's relation. If in that light there is any-
thing which you suppose his cousin might fairly
ask of him, I beg you would not hesitate to
employ me.'
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Mrs. Smith gave her a penetrating glance,
and then, smiling, said
* I have been a little premature, I perceive ;
I beg your pardon. I ought to have waited for
official information. But now, my dear Miss
Elliot, as an old friend, do give me a hint as to
when I may speak. Next week ? To be sure
by next week I may be allowed to think it all
settled, and build my own selfish schemes on
Mr. Elliot's good fortune.'
* No,' replied Anne, ' nor next week, nor next,
nor next. I assure you that nothing of the sort
you are thinking of will be settled any week.
I am not going to marry Mr. Elliot. I should
like to know why you imagine I am ? '
Mrs. Smith looked at her again, looked
earnestly, smiled, shook her head, and ex-
claimed
' Now, how I do wish I understood you !
How I do wish I knew what you were at ! I
have a great idea that you do not design to
be cruel, when the right moment comes. Till
it does come, you know, we women never mean
to have anybody. It is a thing of course among
us, that every man is refused, till he offers.
But why should you be cruel ? Let me plead
for my present friend I cannot call him, but
for my former friend. Where can you look for a
more suitable match ? Where could you expect
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a more gentlemanlike, agreeable man ? Let me
recommend Mr. Elliot. I am sure you hear no-
thing but good of him from Colonel Wallis ; and
who can know him better than Colonel Wallis ? '
'My dear Mrs. Smith, Mr. Elliot's wife has
not been dead much above half a year. He
ought not to be supposed to be paying his
addresses to any one.'
6 Oh ! if these are your only objections,' cried
Mrs. Smith archly, 'Mr. Elliot is safe, and I
shall give myself no more trouble about him.
Do not forget me when you are married, that 's
all. Let him know me to be a friend of yours,
and then he will think little of the trouble
required, which it is very natural for him now,
with so many affairs and engagements of his
own, to avoid and get rid of as he can : very
natural, perhaps. Ninety-nine out of a hundred
would do the same. Of course, he cannot be
aware of the importance to me. Well, my dear
Miss Elliot, I hope and trust you will be very
happy. Mr. Elliot has sense to understand the
value of such a woman. Your peace will not
be shipwrecked as mine has been. You are safe
in all worldly matters, and safe in his character.
He will not be led astray ; he will not be misled
by others to his ruin.'
'No,' said Anne, 'I can readily believe all
that of my cousin. He seems to have a calm,
287
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decided temper, not at all open to dangerous
impressions. I consider him with great respect.
I have no reason, from anything that has fallen
within my observation, to do otherwise. But
I have not known him long ; and he is not
a man, I think, to be known intimately soon.
Will not this manner of speaking of him, Mrs.
Smith, convince you that he is nothing to me ?
Surely this must be calm enough. And, upon
my word, he is nothing to me. Should he ever
propose to me (which I have very little reason
to imagine he has any thought of doing), I shall
not accept him. I assure you I shall not. I
assure you, Mr. Elliot had not the share, which
you have been supposing, in whatever pleasure
the concert of last night might afford : not Mr.
Elliot ; it is not Mr. Elliot that
She stopped, regretting, with a deep blush,
that she had implied so much ; but less would
hardly have been sufficient. Mrs. Smith would
hardly have believed so soon in Mr. Elliot's
failure, but from the perception of there being
a somebody else. As it was, she instantly sub-
mitted, and with all the semblance of seeing
nothing beyond ; and Anne, eager to escape
farther notice, was impatient to know why Mrs.
Smith should have fancied she was to marry
Mr. Elliot ; where she could have received the
idea, or from whom she could have heard it.
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'Do tell me how it first came into your head/
'It first came into my head/ replied Mrs.
Smith, 'upon finding how much you were
together, and feeling it to be the most probable
thing in the world to be wished for by every-
body belonging to either of you ; and you may
depend upon it, that all your acquaintance have
disposed of you in the same way. But I never
heard it spoken of till two days ago.'
'And has it, indeed, been spoken of? '
' Did you observe the woman who opened the
door to you when you called yesterday ? '
' No. Was not it Mrs. Speed, as usual, or the
maid ? I observed no one in particular.'
' It was my friend, Mrs. Rooke, Nurse Rooke;
who, by the bye, had a great curiosity to see
you, and was delighted to be in the way to let
you in. She came away from Marlborough
Buildings only on Sunday ; and she it was who
told me you were to marry Mr. Elliot. She
had had it from Mrs. Wallis herself, which did
not seem bad authority. She sat an hour with
me on Monday evening, and gave me the whole
history.'
' The whole history ! ' repeated Anne, laugh-
ing. ' She could not make a very long history,
I think, of one such little article of unfounded
news.'
Mrs. Smith said nothing.
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'But,' continued Anne presently, 'though
there is no truth in my having this claim on
Mr. Elliot, I should be extremely happy to be
of use to you in any way that I could. Shall
I mention to him your being in Bath ? Shall I
take any message ? '
* No, I thank you : no, certainly not. In the
warmth of the moment, and under a mistaken
impression, I might, perhaps, have endeavoured
to interest you in some circumstances ; but not
now. No, I thank you, I have nothing to
trouble you with.'
' I think you spoke of having known Mr.
Elliot many years ? '
I did.' '
' Not before he married, I suppose ? '
' Yes ; he was not married when I knew him
first.'
* And were you much acquainted ? '
* Intimately.'
* Indeed ! Then do tell me what he was at
that time of life. I have a great curiosity to
know what Mr. Elliot was as a very young
man. Was he at all such as he appears
now?'
' I have not seen Mr. Elliot these three years/
was Mrs. Smith's answer, given so gravely that
it was impossible to pursue the subject farther ;
and Anne felt that she had gained nothing but
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an increase of curiosity. They were both silent :
Mrs. Smith very thoughtful. At last
' I beg your pardon, my dear Miss Elliot,' she
cried, in her natural tone of cordiality, * I beg
your pardon for the short answers I have been
giving you, but I have been uncertain what I
ought to do. I have been doubting and con-
sidering as to what I ought to tell you. There
were many things to be taken into the account.
One hates to be officious, to be giving bad
impressions, making mischief. Even the smooth
surface of family-union seems worth preserving,
though there may be nothing durable beneath.
However, I have determined ; I think I am
right ; I think you ought to be made acquainted
with Mr. Elliot's real character. Though I
fully believe that, at present, you have not the
smallest intention of accepting him, there is no
saying what may happen. You might, some
time or other, be differently affected towards
him. Hear the truth, therefore, now, while you
are unprejudiced. Mr. Elliot is a man without
heart or conscience ; a designing, wary, cold-
blooded being, who thinks only of himself; who,
for his own interest or ease, would be guilty of
any cruelty, or any treachery, that could be
perpetrated without risk of his general character.
He has no feeling for others. Those whom he
has been the chief cause of leading into ruin, he
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can neglect and desert without the smallest
compunction. He is totally beyond the reach
of any sentiment of justice or compassion. Oh !
he is black at heart ; hollow and black ! '
Anne's astonished air, and exclamation of
wonder, made her pause, and in a calmer manner
she added
'My expressions startle you. You must
allow for an injured, angry woman. But I will
try to command myself. I will not abuse him.
I will only tell you what I have found him.
Facts shall speak. He was the intimate friend
of my dear husband, who trusted and loved him,
and thought him as good as himself. The
intimacy had been formed before our marriage.
I found them most intimate friends ; and I too
became excessively pleased with Mr. Elliot, and
entertained the highest opinion of him. At
nineteen, you know, one does not think very
seriously ; but Mr. Elliot appeared to me quite
as good as others, and much more agreeable
than most others, and we were almost always
together. We were principally in town, living
in very good style. He was then the inferior
in circumstances : he was then the poor one ;
he had chambers in the Temple, and it was as
much as he could do to support the appearance
of a gentleman. He had always a home with
us whenever he chose it ; he was always welcome ;
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he was like a brother. My poor Charles, who
had the finest, most generous spirit in the world,
would have divided his last farthing with him ;
I know that his purse was open to him ; I know
that he often assisted him.'
' This must have been about that very period
of Mr. Elliot's life,' said Anne, * which has always
excited my particular curiosity. It must have
been about the same time that he became known
to my father and sister. I never knew him
myself, I only heard of him; but there was
a something in his conduct then, with regard
to my father and sister, and afterwards in the
circumstances of his marriage, which I never
could quite reconcile with present times. It
seemed to announce a different sort of man.'
6 1 know it all, I know it all,' cried Mrs. Smith.
'He had been introduced to Sir Walter and
your sister before I was acquainted with him,
but I heard him speak of them for ever. I know
he was invited and encouraged, and I know he
did not chuse to go. I can satisfy you, perhaps,
on points which you would little expect; and
as to his marriage, I knew all about it at the
time. I was privy to all the fors and againsts ;
I was the friend to whom he confided his hopes
and plans ; and though I did not know his wife
previously her inferior situation in society, in-
deed, rendered that impossible yet I knew her
10 T* 293
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all her life afterwards, or at least till within the
last two years of her life, and can answer any
question you wish to put.'
* Nay,' said Anne, 'I have no particular inquiry
to make about her. I have always understood
they were not a happy couple. But I should
like to know why, at that time of his life, he
should slight my father's acquaintance as he did.
My father was certainly disposed to take very
kind and proper notice of him. Why did Mr.
Elliot draw back ? '
'Mr. Elliot,' replied Mrs. Smith, 'at that
period of his life had one object in view : to
make his fortune, and by a rather quicker process
than the law. He was determined to make it
by marriage. He was determined, at least, not
to mar it by an imprudent marriage ; and I know
it was his belief (whether justly or not, of course
I cannot decide), that your father and sister,
in their civilities and invitations, were designing
a match between the heir and the young lady,
and it was impossible that such a match should
have answered his ideas of wealth and inde-
pendence. That was his motive for drawing
back, I can assure you. He told me the whole
story. He had no concealments with me. It
was curious, that having just left you behind
me in Bath, my first and principal acquaintance
on marrying should be your cousin ; and that,
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through him, I should be continually hearing
of your father and sister. He described one
Miss Elliot, and I thought very affectionately
of the other.'
'Perhaps, 3 cried Anne, struck by a sudden
idea, 'you sometimes spoke of me to Mr.
Elliot?'
'To be sure I did; very often. I used to
boast of my own Anne Elliot, and vouch for
your being a very different creature from '
She checked herself just in time.
* This accounts for something which Mr. Elliot
said last night,' cried Anne. * This explains it.
I found he had been used to hear of me. I could
not comprehend how. What wild imaginations
one forms where dear self is concerned ! How
sure to be mistaken ! But I beg your pardon ;
I have interrupted you. Mr. Elliot married,
then, completely for money ? The circumstance,
probably, which first opened your eyes to his
character ? '
Mrs. Smith hesitated a little here. 'Oh!
those things are too common. When one lives
in the world, a man or woman's marrying for
money is too common to strike one as it ought.
I was very young, and associated only with the
young, and we were a thoughtless, gay set,
without any strict rules of conduct. We lived
for enjoyment. I think differently now : time
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and sickness and sorrow have given me other
notions ; but at that period, I must own I saw
nothing reprehensible in what Mr. Elliot was
doing. " To do the best for himself" passed as
a duty.'
' But was not she a very low woman ? '
* Yes ; which I objected to, but he would not
regard. Money, money, was all that he wanted.
Her father was a grazier, her grandfather had
been a butcher, but that was all nothing. She
was a fine woman, had had a decent education,
was brought forward by some cousins, thrown
by chance into Mr. Elliot's company, and fell in
love with him ; and not a difficulty or a scruple
was there on his side with respect to her birth.
All his caution was spent in being secured of
the real amount of her fortune, before he com-
mitted himself. Depend upon it, whatever
esteem Mr. Elliot may have for his own situa-
tion in life now, as a young man he had not the
smallest value for it. His chance of the Kel-
lynch estate was something, but all the honour
of the family he held as cheap as dirt. I have
often heard him declare, that if baronetcies were
saleable, anybody should have his for fifty
pounds, arms and motto, name and livery in-
cluded; but I will not pretend to repeat half
that I used to hear him say on that subject. It
would not be fair ; and yet you ought to have
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proof, for what is all this but assertion, and you
shall have proof.'
' Indeed, my dear Mrs. Smith, I want none/
cried Anne. ( You have asserted nothing con-
tradictory to what Mr. Elliot appeared to be
some years ago. This is all in confirmation,
rather, of what we used to hear and believe. I
am more curious to know why he should be so
different now.'
' But for my satisfaction, if you will have the
goodness to ring for Mary ; stay : I am sure you
will have the still greater goodness of going
yourself into my bedroom, and bringing me the
small inlaid box which you will find on the
upper shelf of the closet.'
Anne, seeing her friend to be earnestly bent
on it, did as she was desired. The box was
brought and placed before her, and Mrs. Smith,
sighing over it as she unlocked it, said
* This is full of papers belonging to him, to
my husband ; a small portion only of what I
had to look over when I lost him. The letter
I am looking for was one written by Mr. Elliot
to him before our marriage, and happened to be
saved ; why, one can hardly imagine. But he
was careless and immethodical, like other men,
about those things ; and when I came to examine
his papers, I found it with others, still more
trivial, from different people scattered here and
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there, while many letters and memorandums of
real importance had been destroyed. Here it
is ; I would not burn it, because being even
then very little satisfied with Mr. Elliot, I was
determined to preserve every document of former
intimacy. I have now another motive for being
glad that I can produce it.'
This was the letter, directed to 'Charles Smith,
Esq., Tunbridge Wells,' and dated from London,
as far back as July 1803
' DEAR SMITH, I have received yours. Your
kindness almost overpowers me. I wish nature
had made such hearts as yours more common,
but I have lived three-and-twenty years in the
world, and have seen none like it. At present,
believe me, I have no need of your services,
being in cash again. Give me joy : I have got
rid of Sir Walter and Miss. They are gone
back to Kellynch, and almost made me swear
to visit them this summer ; but my first visit to
Kellynch will be with a surveyor, to tell me
how to bring it with best advantage to the
hammer. The baronet, nevertheless, is not
unlikely to marry again ; he is quite fool
enough. If he does, however, they will leave
me in peace, which may be a decent equiva-
lent for the reversion. He is worse than last
year.
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' I wish I had any name but Elliot. I am
sick of it. The name of Walter I can drop,
thank God ! and I desire you will never insult
me with my second W. again, meaning, for the
rest of my life, to be only yours truly,
' WM. ELLIOT.'
Such a letter could not be read without put-
ting Anne in a glow ; and Mrs. Smith, observing
the high colour in her face, said
* The language, I know, is highly disrespectful.
Though I have forgot the exact terms, I have
a perfect impression of the general meaning.
But it shews you the man. Mark his profes-
sions to my poor husband. Can anything be
stronger ? '
Anne could not immediately get over the
shock and mortification of finding such words
applied to her father. She was obliged to
recollect that her seeing the letter was a viola-
tion of the laws of honour, that no one ought to
be judged or to be known by such testimonies,
that no private correspondence could bear the
eye of others, before she could recover calm-
ness enough to return the letter which she had
been meditating over, and say
* Thank you. This is full proof undoubtedly :
proof of everything you were saying. But why
be acquainted with us now ? '
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'I can explain this too,' cried Mrs. Smith,
smiling.
' Can you really ? '
'Yes. I have shewn you Mr. Elliot as he
was a dozen years ago, and I will shew him as
he is now. I cannot produce written proof
again, but I can give as authentic oral testimony
as you can desire, of what he is now wanting,
and what he is now doing. He is no hypocrite
now. He truly wants to marry you. His
present attentions to your family are very
sincere : quite from the heart. I will give you
my authority : his friend Colonel Wallis.'
( Colonel Wallis ! are you acquainted with
him?'
'No. It does not come to me in quite so
direct a line as that ; it takes a bend or two,
but nothing of consequence. The stream is as
good as at first ; the little rubbish it collects in
the turnings is easily moved away. Mr. Elliot
talks unreservedly to Colonel Wallis of his views
on you, which said Colonel Wallis I imagine to
be, in himself, a sensible, careful, discerning sort
of character; but Colonel Wallis has a very
pretty, silly wife, to whom he tells things which
he had better not, and he repeats it all to her.
She, in the overflowing spirits of her recovery,
repeats it all to her nurse ; and the nurse, know-
ing my acquaintance with you, very naturally
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brings it all to me. On Monday evening my
good friend Mrs. Rooke let me thus much into
the secrets of Marlborough Buildings. When
I talked of a whole history, therefore, you
see I was not romancing so much as you sup-
posed.'
' My dear Mrs. Smith, your authority is de-
ficient. This will not do. Mr. Elliot's having
any views on me will not in the least account
for the efforts he made towards a reconciliation
with my father. That was all prior to my
coming to Bath. I found them on the most
friendly terms when I arrived.'
'I know you did; I know it all perfectly,
but '
* Indeed, Mrs. Smith, we must not expect to
get real information in such a line. Facts or
opinions which are to pass through the hands
of so many, to be misconceived by folly in one,
and ignorance in another, can hardly have much
truth left.'
6 Only give me a hearing. You will soon be
able to judge of the general credit due, by
listening to some particulars which you can
yourself immediately contradict or confirm. No-
body supposes that you were his first induce-
ment. He had seen you, indeed, before he
came to Bath, and admired you, but without
knowing it to be you. So says my historian,
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at least. Is this true? Did he see you last
summer or autumn "somewhere down in the
west," to use her own words, without knowing
it to be you ? '
* He certainly did. So far it is very true. At
Lyme. I happened to be at Lyme.'
' Well,' continued Mrs. Smith triumphantly,
* grant my friend the credit due to the establish-
ment of the first point asserted. He saw you
then at Lyme, and liked you so well as to be
exceedingly pleased to meet with you again
in Camden Place, as Miss Anne Elliot; and
from that moment, I have no doubt, had a
double motive in his visits there. But there
was another, and an earlier, which I will now
explain. If there is anything in my story which
you know to be either false or improbable, stop
me. My account states that your sister's friend,
the lady now staying with you, whom I have
heard you mention, came to Bath with Miss
Elliot and Sir Walter as long ago as September
(in short, when they first came themselves), and
has been staying there ever since ; that she is a
clever, insinuating, handsome woman, poor and
plausible, and altogether such, in situation and
manner, as to give a general idea, among Sir
Walter's acquaintance, of her meaning to be
Lady Elliot, and as general a surprise that Miss
Elliot should be apparently blind to the danger.'
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Here Mrs. Smith paused a moment ; but
Anne had not a word to say, and she con-
tinued
'This was the light in which it appeared to
those who knew the family, long before you
returned to it ; and Colonel Wallis had his eye
upon your father enough to be sensible of it,
though he did not then visit in Camden Place ;
but his regard for Mr. Elliot gave him an interest
in watching all that was going on there, and
when Mr. Elliot came to Bath for a day or two,
as he happened to do a little before Christmas,
Colonel Wallis made him acquainted with the
appearance of things, and the reports beginning
to prevail. Now you are to understand that
time had worked a very material change in Mr.
Elliot's opinions as to the value of a baronetcy.
Upon all points of blood and connexion he is
a completely altered man. Having long had
as much money as he could spend, nothing to
wish for on the side of avarice or indulgence, he
has been gradually learning to pin his happiness
upon the consequence he is heir to. I thought
it coming on before our acquaintance ceased,
but it is now a confirmed feeling. He cannot
bear the idea of not being Sir William. You
may guess, therefore, that the news he heard
from his friend could not be very agreeable, and
you may guess what it produced : the resolution
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of coming back to Bath as soon as possible, and
of fixing himself here for a time, with the view
of renewing his former acquaintance, and re-
covering such a footing in the family as might
give him the means of ascertaining the degree
of his danger, and of circumventing the lady if
he found it material. This was agreed upon
between the two friends as the only thing to be
done ; and Colonel Wallis was to assist in every
way that he could. He was to be introduced,
and Mrs. Wallis was to be introduced, and every-
body was to be introduced. Mr. Elliot came
back accordingly; and on application was for-
given, as you know, and re-admitted into the
family; and there it was his constant object,
and his only object (till your arrival added
another motive), to watch Sir Walter and Mrs.
Clay. He omitted no opportunity of being with
them, threw himself in their way, called at all
hours ; but I need not be particular on this sub-
ject. You can imagine what an artful man
would do ; and with this guide, perhaps, may
recollect what you have seen him do.'
* Yes,' said Anne, * you tell me nothing which
does not accord with what I have known, or
could imagine. There is always something
offensive in the details of cunning. The man-
oeuvres of selfishness and duplicity must ever be
revolting, but I have heard nothing which really
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surprises me. I know those who would be
shocked by such a representation of Mr. Elliot,
who would have difficulty in believing it, but I
have never been satisfied. I have always wanted
some other motive for his conduct than appeared.
I should like to know his present opinion, as
to the probability of the event he has been in
dread of; whether he considers the danger to
be lessening or not.'
' Lessening, I understand,' replied Mrs. Smith.
' He thinks Mrs. Clay afraid of him, aware that
he sees through her, and not daring to proceed
as she might do in his absence. But since he
must be absent some time or other, I do not
perceive how he can ever be secure while she
holds her present influence. Mrs. Wallis has an
amusing idea, as nurse tells me, that it is to be
put into the marriage articles when you and
Mr. Elliot marry, that your father is not to
marry Mrs. Clay. A scheme worthy of Mrs.
Wallis's understanding, by all accounts ; but
my sensible Nurse Rooke sees the absurdity of
it. "Why, to be sure, ma'am," said she, "it
would not prevent his marrying anybody else."
And, indeed, to own the truth, I do not think
nurse, in her heart, is a very strenuous opposer
of Sir Walter's making a second match. She
must be allowed to be a favourer of matrimony,
you know ; and (since self will intrude) who can
10 u 305
PERSUASION
say that she may not have some flying visions of
attending the next Lady Elliot, through Mrs.
Wallis's recommendation ? '
' I am very glad to know all this,' said Anne,
after a little thoughtfulness. * It will be more
painful to me in some respects to be in company
with him, but I shall know better what to do.
My line of conduct will be more direct. Mr.
Elliot is evidently a disingenuous, artificial,
worldly man, who has had never any better
principle to guide him than selfishness/
But Mr. Elliot was not yet done with. Mrs.
Smith had been carried away from her first
direction, and Anne had forgotten, in the interest
of her own family concerns, how much had been
originally implied against him ; but her atten-
tion was now called to the explanation of those
first hints, and she listened to a recital which, if
it did not perfectly justify the unqualified bitter-
ness of Mrs. Smith, proved him to have been
very unfeeling in his conduct towards her, very
deficient both in justice and compassion.
She learned that (the intimacy between them
continuing unimpaired by Mr. Elliot's marriage)
they had been as before always together, and
Mr. Elliot had led his friend into expenses much
beyond his fortune. Mrs. Smith did not want
to take blame to herself, and was most tender
of throwing any on her husband ; but Anne
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could collect that their income had never been
equal to their style of living, and that from the
first there had been a great deal of general and
joint extravagance. From his wife's account of
him she could discern Mr. Smith to have been
a man of warm feelings, easy temper, careless
habits, and not strong understanding; much
more amiable than his friend, and very unlike
him, led by him, and probably despised by him.
Mr. Elliot, raised by his marriage to great
affluence, and disposed to every gratification of
pleasure and vanity which could be commanded
without involving himself (for with all his self-
indulgence he had become a prudent man), and
beginning to be rich, just as his friend ought to
have found himself to be poor, seemed to have
had no concern at all for that friend's probable
finances, but, on the contrary, had been prompt-
ing and encouraging expenses which could end
only in ruin : and the Smiths accordingly had
been ruined.
The husband had died just in time to be
spared the full knowledge of it. They had
previously known embarrassments enough to
try the friendship of their friends, and to prove
that Mr. Elliot's had better not be tried; but
it was not till his death that the wretched state
of his affairs was fully known. With a con-
fidence in Mr. Elliot's regard, more creditable
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to his feelings than his judgment, Mr. Smith
had appointed him the executor of his will ; but
Mr. Elliot would not act, and the difficulties
and distresses which this refusal had heaped on
her, in addition to the inevitable sufferings of
her situation, had been such as could not be
related without anguish of spirit, or listened to
without corresponding indignation.
Anne was shewn some letters of his on the
occasion, answers to urgent applications from
Mrs. Smith, which all breathed the same stern
resolution of not engaging in a fruitless trouble,
and, under a cold civility, the same hard-hearted
indifference to any of the evils it might bring on
her. It was a dreadful picture of ingratitude and
inhumanity ; and Anne felt, at some moments,
that no flagrant open crime could have been
worse. She had a great deal to listen to : all
the particulars of past sad scenes, all the minutiae
of distress upon distress, which in former con-
versations had been merely hinted at, were dwelt
on now with a natural indulgence. Anne could
perfectly comprehend the exquisite relief, and
was only the more inclined to wonder at the
composure of her friend's usual state of mind.
There was one circumstance in the history of
her grievances of particular irritation. She had
good reason to believe that some property of
her husband in the West Indies, which had
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been for many years under a sort of sequestra-
tion for the payment of its own encumbrances,
might be recoverable by proper measures ; and
this property, though not large, would be enough
to make her comparatively rich. But there
was nobody to stir in it. Mr. Elliot would
do nothing, and she could do nothing herself,
equally disabled from personal exertion by her
state of bodily weakness, and from employing
others by her want of money. She had no
natural connexions to assist her even with their
counsel, and she could not afford to purchase
the assistance of the law. This was a cruel
aggravation of actually straitened means. To
feel that she ought to be in better circumstances,
that a little trouble in the right place might do
it, and to fear that delay might be even weaken-
ing her claims, was hard to bear.
It was on this point that she had hoped
to engage Anne's good offices with Mr. Elliot.
She had previously, in the anticipation of their
marriage, been very apprehensive of losing her
friend by it ; but on being assured that he could
have made no attempt of that nature, since he
did not even know her to be in Bath, it im-
mediately occurred that something might be
done in her favour by the influence of the woman
he loved, and she had been hastily preparing to
interest Anne's feelings as far as the observances
10 u* 309
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due to Mr. Elliot's character would allow, when
Anne's refutation of the supposed engagement
changed the face of everything; and while it
took from her the new-formed hope of succeed-
ing in the object of her first anxiety, left her at
least the comfort of telling the whole story her
own way.
After listening to this full description of Mr.
Elliot, Anne could not but express some sur-
prise at Mrs. Smith's having spoken of him so
favourably in the beginning of their conversa-
tion. "She had seemed to recommend and
praise him ! '
'My dear,' was Mrs. Smith's reply, 'there
was nothing else to be done. I considered your
marrying him as certain, though he might not
yet have made the offer, and I could no more
speak the truth of him, than if he had been
your husband. My heart bled for you as I
talked of happiness ; and yet he is sensible, he
is agreeable, and with such a woman as you,
it was not absolutely hopeless. He was very
unkind to his first wife. They were wretched
together. But she was too ignorant and giddy
for respect, and he had never loved her. I was
willing to hope that you must fare better.'
Anne could just acknowledge within herself
such a possibility of having been induced to
marry him, as made her shudder at the idea of
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the misery which must have followed. It was
just possible that she might have been per-
suaded by Lady Russell! And under such a
supposition, which would have been most miser-
able, when time had disclosed all, too late ?
It was very desirable that Lady Russell should
be no longer deceived ; and one of the conclud-
ing arrangements of this important conference,
which carried them through the greater part of
the morning, was that Anne had full liberty to
communicate to her friend everything relative
to Mrs. Smith, in which his conduct was in-
volved.
CHAPTER XXII
ANNE went home to think over all that she had
heard. In one point, her feelings were relieved
by this knowledge of Mr. Elliot. There was
no longer anything of tenderness due to him.
He stood as opposed to Captain Wentworth, in
all his own unwelcome obtrusiveness ; and the
evil of his attentions last night, the irremediable
mischief he might have done, was considered
with sensations unqualified, unperplexed. Pity
for him was all over. But this was the only
point of relief. In every other respect, in looking
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around her, or penetrating forward, she saw
more to distrust and to apprehend. She was
concerned for the disappointment and pain Lady
Russell would be feeling, for the mortifications
which must be hanging over her father and sister,
and had all the distress of foreseeing many evils
without knowing how to avert any one of them.
She was most thankful for her own knowledge
of him. She had never considered herself as
entitled to reward for not slighting an old friend
like Mrs. Smith, but here was a reward, indeed,
springing from it! Mrs. Smith had been able
to tell her what no one else could have done.
Could the knowledge have been extended
through her family ? But this was a vain idea.
She must talk to Lady Russell, tell her, consult
with her, and having done her best, wait the
event with as much composure as possible ; and
after all, her greatest want of composure would
be in that quarter of the mind which could not
be opened to Lady Russell in that flow of
anxieties and fears which must be all to herself.
She found, on reaching home, that she had,
as she intended, escaped seeing Mr. Elliot; that
he had called and paid them a long morning
visit ; but hardly had she congratulated herself,
and felt safe, when she heard that he was coming
again in the evening.
* I had not the smallest intention of asking
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him,' said Elizabeth, with affected carelessness,
' but he gave so many hints ; so Mrs. Clay says,
at least.'
* Indeed, I do say it. I never saw anybody
in my life spell harder for an invitation. Poor
man! I was really in pain for him; for your
hard-hearted sister, Miss Anne, seems bent on
cruelty.'
'Oh!' cried Elizabeth, 'I have been rather
too much used to the game to be soon overcome
by a gentleman's hints. However, when I
found how excessively he was regretting that he
should miss my father this morning, I gave way
immediately, for I would never really omit an
opportunity of bringing him and Sir Walter
together. They appear to so much advantage
in company with each other. Each behaving
so pleasantly. Mr. Elliot looking up with so
much respect.'
6 Quite delightful ! ' cried Mrs. Clay, not
daring, however, to turn her eyes towards Anne.
* Exactly like father and son ! Dear Miss
Elliot, may I not say father and son ? '
* Oh ! I lay no embargo on anybody's words.
If you will have such ideas ! But, upon my
word, I am scarcely sensible of his attentions
being beyond those of other men.'
' My dear Miss Elliot ! ' exclaimed Mrs. Clay,
lifting up her hands and eyes, and sinking all
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the rest of her astonishment in a convenient
silence.
* Well, my dear Penelope, you need not be
so alarmed about him. I did invite him, you
know. I sent him away with smiles. When
I found he was really going to his friends at
Thornberry Park for the whole day to-morrow,
I had compassion on him.'
Anne admired the good acting of the friend,
in being able to shew such pleasure, as she did,
in the expectation and in the actual arrival of
the very person whose presence must really be
interfering with her prime object. It was im-
possible but that Mrs. Clay must hate the sight
of Mr. Elliot ; and yet she could assume a most
obliging, placid look, and appear quite satisfied
with the curtailed licence of devoting herself
only half as much to Sir Walter as she would
have done otherwise.
To Anne herself it was most distressing to
see Mr. Elliot enter the room ; and quite painful
to have him approach and speak to her. She
had been used before to feel that he could not
be always quite sincere, but now she saw insin-
cerity in everything. His attentive deference
to her father, contrasted with his former lan-
guage, was odious ; and when she thought of
his cruel conduct towards Mrs. Smith, she could
hardly bear the sight of his present smiles and
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mildness, or the sound of his artificial good
sentiments.
She meant to avoid any such alteration of
manners as might provoke a remonstrance on
his side. It was a great object with her to
escape all inquiry or eclat ; but it was her in-
tention to be as decidedly cool to him as might
be compatible with their relationship; and to
retrace, as quietly as she could, the few steps
of unnecessary intimacy she had been gradually
led along. She was accordingly more guarded,
and more cool, than she had been the night
before.
He wanted to animate her curiosity again
as to how and where he could have heard her
formerly praised ; wanted very much to be
gratified by more solicitation ; but the charm
was broken : he found that the heat and anima-
tion of a public room was necessary to kindle
his modest cousin's vanity ; he found, at least,
that it was not to be done now by any of those
attempts which he could hazard among the too-
commanding claims of the others. He little
surmised that it was a subject acting now exactly
against his interest, bringing immediately to her
thoughts all those parts of his conduct which
were least excusable.
She had some satisfaction in finding that he
was really going out of Bath the next morning,
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going early, and that he would be gone the
greater part of two days. He was invited again
to Camden Place the very evening of his return ;
but from Thursday to Saturday evening his
absence was certain. It was bad enough that
a Mrs. Clay should be always before her ; but
that a deeper hypocrite should be added to their
party seemed the destruction of everything like
peace and comfort. It was so humiliating to
reflect on the constant deception practised on
her father and Elizabeth ; to consider the various
sources of mortification preparing for them !
Mrs. Clay's selfishness was not so complicate
nor so revolting as his ; and Anne would have
compounded for the marriage at once, with all
its evils, to be clear of Mr. Elliot's subtleties in
endeavouring to prevent it.
On Friday morning she meant to go very
early to Lady Russell, and accomplish the neces-
sary communication ; and she would have gone
directly after breakfast, but that Mrs. Clay was
also going out on some obliging purpose of
saving her sister trouble, which determined her
to wait till she might be safe from such a com-
panion. She saw Mrs. Clay fairly off, therefore,
before she began to talk of spending the morn-
ing in Rivers Street.
' Very well,' said Elizabeth, ' I have nothing
to send but my love. Oh 1 you may as well
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take back that tiresome book she would lend
me, and pretend I have read it through. I really
cannot be plaguing myself for ever with all the
new poems and states of the nation that come
out. Lady Russell quite bores one with her
new publications. You need not tell her so,
but I thought her dress hideous the other night.
I used to think she had some taste in dress, but
I was ashamed of her at the concert. Some-
thing so formal and arrange in her air ! and she
sits so upright ! My best love, of course/
'And mine,' added Sir Walter. 'Kindest
regards. And you may say that I mean to
call upon her soon. Make a civil message ; but
I shall only leave my card. Morning visits are
never fair by women at her time of life, who
make themselves up so little. If she would
only wear rouge she would not be afraid of
being seen ; but last time I called, I observed
the blinds were let down immediately.'
While her father spoke there was a knock at
the door. Who could it be? Anne, remem-
bering the preconcerted visits, at all hours, of
Mr. Elliot, would have expected him, but for his
known engagement seven miles off. After the
usual period of suspense, the usual sounds of
approach were heard, and * Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Musgrove ' were ushered into the room.
Surprise was the strongest emotion raised by
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their appearance ; but Anne was really glad to
see them ; and the others were not so sorry but
that they could put on a decent air of welcome ;
and as soon as it became clear that these, their
nearest relations, were not arrived with any
views of accommodation in that house, Sir
Walter and Elizabeth were able to rise in
cordiality, and do the honours of it very well.
They were come to Bath for a few days with
Mrs. Musgrove, and were at the White Hart.
So much was pretty soon understood ; but till
Sir Walter and Elizabeth were walking Mary
into the other drawing-room, and regaling
themselves with her admiration, Anne could
not draw upon Charles's brain for a regular
history of their coming, or an explanation of
some smiling hints of particular business, which
had been ostentatiously dropped by Mary, as
well as of some apparent confusion as to whom
their party consisted of.
She then found that it consisted of Mrs.
Musgrove, Henrietta, and Captain Harville,
besides their two selves. He gave her a very
plain, intelligible account of the whole ; a narra-
tion in which she saw a great deal of most
characteristic proceeding. The scheme had re-
ceived its first impulse by Captain Harville 's
wanting to come to Bath on business. He had
begun to talk of it a week ago ; and by way of
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doing something, as shooting was over, Charles
had proposed coming with him, and Mrs. Har-
ville had seemed to like the idea of it very
much, as an advantage to her husband; but
Mary could not bear to be left, and had made
herself so unhappy about it, that for a day or
two everything seemed to be in suspense, or at
an end. But then, it had been taken up by his
father and mother. His mother had some old
friends in Bath whom she wanted to see ; it was
thought a good opportunity for Henrietta to
come and buy wed ding- clothes for herself and
her sister ; and, in short, it ended in being his
mother's party, that everything might be com-
fortable and easy to Captain Harville ; and he
and Mary were included in it by way of general
convenience. They had arrived late the night
before. Mrs. Harville, her children, and Captain
Benwick, remained with Mr. Musgrove and
Louisa at Upper cross.
Anne's only surprise was that affairs should be
in forwardness enough for Henrietta's wedding-
clothes to be talked of. She had imagined such
difficulties of fortune to exist there as must
prevent the marriage from being near at hand ;
but she learned from Charles that, very recently
(since Mary's last letter to herself), Charles
Hayter had been applied to by a friend to hold
a living for a youth who could not possibly
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claim it under many years; and that on the
strength of this present income, with almost
a certainty of something more permanent long
before the term in question, the two families
had consented to the young people's wishes, and
that their marriage was likely to take place in a
few months, quite as soon as Louisa's. * And a
very good living it was,' Charles added : * only
five-and-twenty miles from Uppercross, and in
a very fine country : fine part of Dorsetshire.
In the centre of some of the best preserves in
the kingdom, surrounded by three great pro-
prietors, each more careful and jealous than the
other ; and to two of the three, at least, Charles
Hayter might get a special recommendation.
Not that he will value it as he ought,' he
observed : ' Charles is too cool about sporting.
That 's the worst of him.'
'I am extremely glad, indeed,' cried Anne;
' particularly glad that this should happen ; and
that of two sisters who both deserve equally
well, and who have always been such good
friends, the pleasant prospects of one should
not be dimming those of the other that they
should be so equal in their prosperity and
comfort. I hope your father and mother are
quite happy with regard to both.'
' Oh yes ! My father would be as well pleased
if the gentlemen were richer, but he has no
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other fault to find. Money, you know, coming
down with money two daughters at once
it cannot be a very agreeable operation, and it
straitens him as to many things. However,
I do not mean to say they have not a right to
it. It is very fit they should have daughters'
shares ; and I am sure he has always been a very
kind, liberal father to me. Mary does not above
half like Henrietta's match. She never did, you
know. But she does not do him justice, nor
think enough about Winthrop. I cannot make
her attend to the value of the property. It is
a very fair match as times go ; and I have liked
Charles Hayter all my life, and I shall not leave
off now.'
'Such excellent parents as Mr. and Mrs.
Musgrove,' exclaimed Anne, * should be happy
in their children's marriages. They do every-
thing to confer happiness, I am sure. What
a blessing to young people to be in such hands !
Your father and mother seem totally free from
all those ambitious feelings which have led to
so much misconduct and misery, both hi young
and old. I hope you think Louisa perfectly
recovered now ? '
He answered rather hesitatingly, 'Yes, I
believe I do ; very much recovered ; but she is
altered: there is no running or jumping about,
no laughing or dancing; it is quite different.
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If one happens only to shut the door a little
hard, she starts and wriggles like a young dab-
chick in the water ; and Benwick sits at her
elbow, reading verses, or whispering to her, all
day long.'
Anne could not help laughing. * That can-
not be much to your taste, I know,' said she ;
' but I do believe him to be an excellent young
man.'
' To be sure he is : nobody doubts it ; and
I hope you do not think I am so illiberal as to
want every man to have the same objects and
pleasures as myself. I have a great value for
Benwick ; and when one can but get him to
talk, he has plenty to say. His reading has
done him no harm, for he has fought as well
as read. He is a brave fellow. I got more
acquainted with him last Monday than ever
I did before. We had a famous set-to at rat-
hunting all the morning in my father's great
barns ; and he played his part so well that I have
liked him the better ever since.'
Here they were interrupted by the absolute
necessity of Charles's following the others to
admire mirrors and china : but Anne had heard
enough to understand the present state of Upper-
cross, and rejoice in its happiness ; and though
she sighed as she rejoiced, her sigh had none of
the ill-will of envy in it. She would certainly
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have risen to their blessings if she could, but
she did not want to lessen theirs.
The visit passed off altogether in high good-
humour. Mary was in excellent spirits, enjoying
the gaiety and the change, and so well satisfied
with the journey in her mother-in-law's carriage
with four horses, and with her own complete
independence of Camden Place, that she was
exactly in a temper to admire everything as
she ought, and enter most readily into all the
superiorities of the house, as they were detailed
to her. She had no demands on her father
or sister, and her consequence was just enough
increased by their handsome drawing-rooms.
Elizabeth was, for a short time, suffering a
good deal. She felt that Mrs. Musgrove and
all her party ought to be asked to dine with
them ; but she could not bear to have the
difference of style, the reduction of servants,
which a dinner must betray, witnessed by those
who had been always so inferior to the Elliots
of Kellynch. It was a struggle between pro-
priety and vanity ; but vanity got the better,
and then Elizabeth was happy again. These
were her internal persuasions : ' Old-fashioned
notions ; country hospitality ; we do not profess
to give dinners ; few people in Bath do ; Lady
Alicia never does ; did not even ask her own
sister's family, though they were here a month ;
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and I dare say it would be very inconvenient
to Mrs. Musgrove ; put her quite out of her way.
I am sure she would rather not come ; she cannot
feel easy with us. I will ask them all for an
evening ; that will be much better ; that will
be a novelty and a treat. They have not seen
two such drawing-rooms before. They will be
delighted to come to-morrow evening. It shall
be a regular party, small, but most elegant.'
And this satisfied Elizabeth ; and when the
invitation was given to the two present, and
promised for the absent, Mary was as completely
satisfied. She was particularly asked to meet
Mr. Elliot, and be introduced to Lady Dalrymple
and Miss Carteret, who were fortunately already
engaged to come ; and she could not have
received a more gratifying attention. Miss
Elliot was to have the honour of calling on
Mrs. Musgrove in the course of the morning;
and Anne walked off with Charles and Mary,
to go and see her and Henrietta directly.
Her plan of sitting with Lady Russell must
give way for the present. They all three called
in Rivers Street for a couple of minutes ; but
Anne convinced herself that a day's delay of
the intended communication could be of no
consequence, and hastened forward to the
White Hart, to see again the friends and com-
panions of the last autumn, with an eagerness
324
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of goodwill which many associations contributed
to form.
They found Mrs. Musgrove and her daughter
within, and by themselves, and Anne had the
kindest welcome from each. Henrietta was
exactly in that state of recently improved views,
of fresh-formed happiness, which made her full
of regard and interest for everybody she had
ever liked before at all; and Mrs. Musgrove's
real affection had been won by her usefulness
when they were in distress. It was a heartiness,
and a warmth, and a sincerity which Anne
delighted in the more, from the sad want of
such blessings at home. She was entreated to
give them as much of her time as possible,
invited for every day and all day long, or rather
claimed as a part of the family ; and, in return,
she naturally fell into all her wonted ways of
attention and assistance, and on Charles's leaving
them together, was listening to Mrs. Musgrove's
history of Louisa, and to Henrietta's of herself,
giving opinions on business, and recommenda-
tions to shops; with intervals of every help
which Mary required, from altering her ribbon
to settling her accounts ; from finding her keys,
and assorting her trinkets, to trying to convince
her that she was not ill-used by anybody ; which
Mary, well amused as she generally was, in her
station at a window overlooking the entrance
10 x* 325
PERSUASION
to the Pump Room, could not but have her
moments of imagining.
A morning of thorough confusion was to be
expected. A large party in an hotel insured
a quick- changing, unsettled scene. One five
minutes brought a note, the next a parcel ; and
Anne had not been there half an hour when
their dining-room, spacious as it was, seemed
more than half filled ; a party of steady old
friends were seated round Mrs. Musgrove, and
Charles came back with Captains Harville and
Wentworth. The appearance of the latter could
not be more than the surprise of the moment.
It was impossible for her to have forgotten to
feel that this arrival of their common friends
must be soon bringing them together again.
Their last meeting had been most important in
opening his feelings : she had derived from it
a delightful conviction; but she feared from
his looks that the same unfortunate persuasion,
which had hastened him away from the Concert
Room, still governed. He did not seem to want
to be near enough for conversation.
She tried to be calm, and leave things to take
their course, and tried to dwell much on this
argument of rational dependence ' Surely, if
there be constant attachment on each side, our
hearts must understand each other ere long.
We are not boy and girl, to be captiously irrit-
326
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able, misled by every moment's inadvertence,
and wantonly playing with our own happiness.'
And yet, a few minutes afterwards, she felt
as if their being in company with each other,
under their present circumstances, could only
be exposing them to inadvertencies and mis-
constructions of the most mischievous kind.
'Anne,' cried Mary, still at her window,
'there is Mrs. Clay, I am sure, standing under
the colonnade, and a gentleman with her. I
saw them turn the corner from Bath Street just
now. They seem deep in talk. Who is it ?
Come, and tell me. Good heavens ! I recollect.
It is Mr. Elliot himself.'
* No,' cried Anne quickly, * it cannot be Mr.
Elliot, I assure you. He was to leave Bath at
nine this morning, and does not come back till
to-morrow.'
As she spoke, she felt that Captain Went-
worth was looking at her, the consciousness of
which vexed and embarrassed her, and made
her regret that she had said so much, simple as
it was.
Mary, resenting that she should be supposed
not to know her own cousin, began talking
very warmly about the family features, and
protesting still more positively that it was Mr.
Elliot, calling again upon Anne to come and
look herself, but Anne did not mean to stir, and
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PERSUASION
tried to be cool and unconcerned. Her distress
returned, however, on perceiving smiles and
intelligent glances pass between two or three
of the lady visitors, as if they believed them-
selves quite in the secret. It was evident that
the report concerning her had spread, and a
short pause succeeded, which seemed to insure
that it would now spread farther.
'Do come, Anne,' cried Mary, 'come and
look yourself. You will be too late if you do
not make haste. They are parting; they are
shaking hands. He is turning away. Not
know Mr. Elliot, indeed ! You seem to have
forgot all about Lyme.'
To pacify Mary, and perhaps screen her own
embarrassment, Anne did move quietly to the
window. She was just in time to ascertain that
it really was Mr. Elliot, which she had never
believed, before he disappeared on one side, as
Mrs. Clay walked quickly off on the other ; and
checking the surprise which she could not but
feel at such an appearance of friendly confer-
ence between two persons of totally opposite
interests, she calmly said, ' Yes, it is Mr. Elliot,
certainly. He has changed his hour of going,
I suppose, that is all, or I may be mistaken,
I might not attend'; and walked back to her
chair, recomposed, and with the comfortable
hope of having acquitted herself well.
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The visitors took their leave; and Charles,
having civilly seen them off, and then made
a face at them, and abused them for coming,
began with
'Well, mother, I have done something for
you that you will like. I have been to the
theatre, and secured a box for to-morrow night.
An't I a good boy ? I know you love a play ;
and there is room for us all. It holds nine. I
have engaged Captain Wentworth. Anne will
not be sorry to join us, I am sure. We all like
a play. Have not I done well, mother ? '
Mrs. Musgrove was good-humouredly begin-
ning to express her perfect readiness for the
play, if Henrietta and all the others liked it,
when Mary eagerly interrupted her by exclaim-
ing
'Good heavens! Charles, how can you think
of such a thing? Take a box for to-morrow
night ! Have you forgot that we are engaged
to Camden Place to-morrow night ? and that
we were most particularly asked to meet Lady
Dalrymple and her daughter, and Mr. Elliot,
all the principal family connexions, on purpose
to be introduced to them ? How can you be so
forgetful ? '
'Phoo! phoo!' replied Charles, 'what's an
evening - party ? Never worth remembering.
Your father might have asked us to dinner, I
329
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think, if he had wanted to see us. You may do
as you like, but I shall go to the play.'
' Oh, Charles, I declare it will be too abomin-
able if you do, when you promised to go.'
* No, I did not promise. I only smirked and
bowed, and said the word " happy." There was
no promise.'
* But you must go, Charles. It would be
unpardonable to fail. We were asked on pur-
pose to be introduced. There was always such
a great connexion between the Dalrymples and
ourselves. Nothing ever happened on either
side that was not announced immediately. We
are quite near relations, you know; and Mr.
Elliot too, whom you ought so particularly to
be acquainted with! Every attention is due
to Mr. Elliot. Consider, my father's heir the
future representative of the family.'
( Don't talk to me about heirs and represen-
tatives,' cried Charles. ' I am not one of those
who neglect the reigning power to bow to the
rising sun. If I would not go for the sake of
your father, I should think it scandalous to go
for the sake of his heir. What is Mr. Elliot
to me ? ' The careless expression was life to
Anne, who saw that Captain Wentworth was
all attention, looking and listening with his
whole soul; and that the last words brought
his inquiring eyes from Charles to herself.
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Charles and Mary still talked on in the same
style : he, half serious and half jesting, main-
taining the scheme for the play, and she, in-
variably serious, most warmly opposing it, and
not omitting to make it known that, however
determined to go to Camden Place herself, she
should not think herself very well used if they
went to the play without her. Mrs. Musgrove
interposed.
' We had better put it off. Charles, you had
much better go back and change the box for
Tuesday. It would be a pity to be divided,
and we should be losing Miss Anne too, if there
is a party at her father's ; and I am sure neither
Henrietta nor I should care at all for the play
if Miss Anne could not be with us.'
Anne felt truly obliged to her for such kind-
ness ; and quite as much so for the opportunity
it gave her of decidedly saying
6 If it depended only on my inclination, ma'am,
the party at home (excepting on Mary's account)
would not be the smallest impediment. I have
no pleasure in the sort of meeting, and should
be too happy to change it for a play, and with
you. But it had better not be attempted,
perhaps.' She had spoken it; but she trembled
when it was done, conscious that her words
were listened to, and daring not even to try to
observe their effect.
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It was soon generally agreed that Tuesday
should be the day ; Charles only reserving the
advantage of still teasing his wife, by persist-
ing that he would go to the play to-morrow, if
nobody else would.
Captain Wentworth left his seat and walked
to the fireplace ; probably for the sake of walk-
ing away from it soon afterwards, and taking a
station, with less barefaced design, by Anne.
( You have not been long enough in Bath,' said
he, ' to enjoy the evening-parties of the place.'
* Oh ! no. The usual character of them has
nothing for me. I am no card-player.'
* You were not formerly, I know. You did not
> use to like cards ; but time makes many changes.'
' I am not yet so much changed,' cried Anne,
and stopped, fearing she hardly knew what mis-
construction. After waiting a few moments he
said, and as if it were the result of immediate
feeling, 'It is a period, indeed! Eight years
and a half is a period 1 '
Whether he would have proceeded farther was
left to Anne's imagination to ponder over in a
calmer hour ; for while still hearing the sounds
he had uttered, she was startled to other sub-
jects by Henrietta, eager to make use of the
present leisure for getting out, and calling on
her companions to lose no time, lest somebody
else should come in.
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They were obliged to move. Anne talked of
being perfectly ready, and tried to look it ; but
she felt that could Henrietta have known the
regret and reluctance of her heart in quitting
that chair, in preparing to quit the room, she
would have found, in all her own sensations for
her cousin, in the very security of his affection,
wherewith to pity her.
Their preparations, however, were stopped
short. Alarming sounds were heard ; other
visitors approached, and the door was thrown
open for Sir Walter and Miss Elliot, whose
entrance seemed to give a general chill. Anne
felt an instant oppression, and wherever she
looked saw symptoms of the same. The com-
fort, the freedom, the gaiety of the room was
over, hushed into cold composure, determined
silence, or insipid talk, to meet the heartless
elegance of her father and sister. How mortify-
ing to feel that it was so !
Her jealous eye was satisfied in one particular.
Captain Wentworth was acknowledged again
by each, by Elizabeth more graciously than
before. She even addressed him once, and
looked at him more than once. Elizabeth was,
in fact, revolving a great measure. The sequel
explained it. After the waste of a few minutes
in saying the proper nothings, she began to give
the invitation which was to comprise all the
333
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remaining dues of the Musgroves. * To-morrow
evening, to meet a few friends : no formal party.'
It was all said very gracefully, and the cards
with which she had provided herself, the ' Miss
Elliot at home,' were laid on the table, with a
courteous, comprehensive smile to all, and one
smile and one card more decidedly for Captain
. , Wentworth. The truth was, that Elizabeth
had been long enough in Bath to understand
the importance of a man of such an air and
appearance as his. The past was nothing. The
present was that Captain Wentworth would
move about well in her drawing-room. The
card was pointedly given, and Sir Walter and
Elizabeth arose and disappeared.
The interruption had been short though
severe, and ease and animation returned to most
of those they left as the door shut them out,
but not to Anne. She could think only of
the invitation she had with such astonishment
witnessed, and of the manner in which it had
been received : a manner of doubtful meaning,
of surprise rather than gratification, of polite
acknowledgment rather than acceptance. She
knew him : she saw disdain in his eyes, and
could not venture to believe that he had
determined to accept such an offering as
an atonement for all the insolence of the
past. Her spirits sank. He held the card
334
PERSUASION
in his hand after they were gone, as if deeply
considering it.
'Only think of Elizabeth's including every-
body ! ' whispered Mary very audibly. * I do
not wonder Captain Wentworth is delighted! L^
You see he cannot put the card out of his t^
hand. 3
Anne caught his eye, saw his cheeks glow,
and his mouth form itself into a momentary j*
expression of contempt, and turned away, that
she might neither see nor hear more to vex
her.
The party separated. The gentlemen had
their own pursuits, the ladies proceeded on their
own business, and they met no more while Anne
belonged to them. She was earnestly begged
to return and dine, and give them all the rest of
the day, but her spirits had been so long exerted
that at present she felt unequal to more, and fit
only for home, where she might be sure of being
as silent as she chose.
Promising to be with them the whole of the
following morning, therefore, she closed the
fatigues of the present by a toilsome walk to
Camden Place, there to spend the evening
chiefly in listening to the busy arrangements of
Elizabeth and Mrs. Clay for the morrow's party,
the frequent enumeration of the persons invited,
and the continually improving detail of all the
335
PERSUASION
embellishments which were to make it the most
completely elegant of its kind in Bath, while
harassing herself in secret with the never-ending
question of whether Captain Wentworth would
come or not ? They were reckoning him as
certain, but with her it was a gnawing solicitude
never appeased for five minutes together. She
generally thought he would come, because she
generally thought he ought ; but it was a case
which she could not so shape into any positive
act of duty or discretion, as inevitably to defy
the suggestions of very opposite feelings.
She only roused herself from the broodings of
this restless agitation to let Mrs. Clay know
that she had been seen with Mr. Elliot three
hours after his being supposed to be out of Bath,
for having watched in vain for some intimation
of the interview from the lady herself, she deter-
mined to mention it ; and it seemed to her that
there was guilt in Mrs. Clay's face as she listened.
It was transient : cleared away in an instant ;
but Anne could imagine she read there the
consciousness of having, by some complication
of mutual trick, or some overbearing authority
of his, been obliged to attend (perhaps for half
an hour) to his lectures and restrictions on her
designs on Sir Walter. She exclaimed, how-
ever, with a very tolerable imitation of nature
* Oh dear ! very true. Only think, Miss
336
PERSUASION
Elliot, to my great surprise I met with Mr.
Elliot in Bath Street. I was never more
astonished. He turned back and walked with
me to the Pump Yard. He had been prevented
setting off for Thornberry, but I really forget
by what ; for I was in a hurry, and could not
much attend, and I can only answer for his
being determined not to be delayed in his
return. He wanted to know how early he
might be admitted to-morrow. He was full of
" to-morrow," and it is very evident that I have
been full of it too, ever since I entered the house
and learned the extension of your plan, and all
that had happened, or my seeing him could never
have gone so entirely out of my head.'
CHAPTER XXIII
ONE day only had passed since Anne's conver-
sation with Mrs. Smith ; but a keener interest
had succeeded, and she was now so little touched
by Mr. Elliot's conduct, except by its effects in
one quarter, that it became a matter of course
the next morning still to defer her explanatory
visit in Rivers Street. She had promised to be
with the Musgroves from breakfast to dinner.
Her faith was plighted, and Mr. Elliot's char-
10 Y 337
PERSUASION
acter, like the Sultaness Scheherazade's head,
must live another day.
She could not keep her appointment punctu-
ally, however ; the weather was unfavourable,
and she had grieved over the rain on her friend s
account, and felt it very much on her own,
before she was able to attempt the walk. When
she reached the White Hart, and made her way
to the proper apartment, she found herself
neither arriving quite in time nor the first to
arrive. The party before her were, Mrs. Mus-
grove talking to Mrs. Croft, and Captain
Harville to Captain Wentworth ; and she im-
mediately heard that Mary and Henrietta, too
impatient to wait, had gone out the moment
it had cleared, but would be back again soon,
and that the strictest injunctions had been left
with Mrs. Musgrove to keep her there till they
returned. She had only to submit, sit down,
be outwardly composed, and feel herself plunged
at once in all the agitations which she had
merely laid her account of tasting a little before
the morning closed. There was no delay, no
waste of time. She was deep in the happiness
of such misery, or the misery of such happiness,
instantly. Two minutes after her entering the
room, Captain Wentworth said
* We will write the letter we were talking of,
Harville, now, if you will give me materials.'
338
PERSUASION
Materials were all at hand, on a separate
table; he went to it, and nearly turning his
back on them all, was engrossed by writing.
Mrs. Musgrove was giving Mrs. Croft the
history of her eldest daughter's engagement, and
just in that inconvenient tone of voice which
was perfectly audible while it pretended to be
a whisper. Anne felt that she did not belong
to the conversation, and yet, as Captain Har-
ville seemed thoughtful and not disposed to
talk, she could not avoid hearing many un-
desirable particulars ; such as, ' how Mr. Mus-
grove and my brother Hayter had met again
and again to talk it over ; what my brother
Hayter had said one day, and what Mr. Mus-
grove had proposed the next, and what had
occurred to my sister Hayter, and what the
young people had wished, and what I said at
first I never could consent to, but was after-
wards persuaded to think might do very well,'
and a great deal in the same style of open-
hearted communication : minutiae which, even
with every advantage of taste and delicacy good
Mrs. Musgrove could not give, could be properly
interesting only to the principals. Mrs. Croft
was attending with great good-humour, and
whenever she spoke at all it was very sensibly.
Anne hoped the gentlemen might each be too
much self-occupied to hear.
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* And so, ma'am, all these things considered,'
said Mrs. Musgrove, in her powerful whisper,
' though we could have wished it different, yet,
altogether, we did not think it fair to stand out
any longer, for Charles Hayter was quite wild
about it, and Henrietta was pretty near as bad ;
and so we thought they had better marry at
once, and make the best of it, as many others
have done before them. At any rate, said I, it
will be better than a long engagement.'
' That is precisely what I was going to observe,'
cried Mrs. Croft. * I would rather have young
people settle on a small income at once, and
have to struggle with a few difficulties together,
than be involved in a long engagement. I
always think that no mutual '
' Oh ! dear Mrs. Croft,' cried Mrs. Musgrove,
unable to let her finish her speech, ' there is
nothing I so abominate for young people as a
long engagement. It is what I always protested
against for my children. It is all very well,
I used to say, for young people to be engaged,
if there is a certainty of their being able to marry
in six months, or even in twelve ; but a long
engagement ! '
6 Yes, dear ma'am,' said Mrs. Croft, ' or an
uncertain engagement, an engagement which
may be long. To begin without knowing that
at such a time there will be the means of marry-
340
PERSUASION
ing, I hold to be very unsafe and unwise, and
what I think all parents should prevent as far as
they can.'
Anne found an unexpected interest here. She
felt its application to herself, felt it in a nervous
thrill all over her ; and at the same moment
that her eyes instinctively glanced towards
the distant table, Captain Wentworth's pen
ceased to move, his head was raised, pausing,
listening, and he turned round the next in-
stant to give a look, one quick, conscious look
at her.
The two ladies continued to talk, to re-urge
the same admitted truths, and enforce them with
such examples of the ill effect of a contrary
practice as had fallen within their observation,
but Anne heard nothing distinctly ; it was only
a buzz of words in her ear, her mind was in
confusion.
Captain Harville, who had in truth been
hearing none of it, now left his seat, and moved
to a window, and Anne seeming to watch him,
though it was from thorough absence of mind,
became gradually sensible that he was inviting
her to join him where he stood. He looked at
her with a smile, and a little motion of the head,
which expressed, 'Come to me, I have some-
thing to say'; and the unaffected, easy kindness
of manner which denoted the feelings of an older
10 Y* 341
PERSUASION
acquaintance than he really was, strongly en-
forced the invitation. She roused herself and
went to him. The window at which he stood
was at the other end of the room from where
the two ladies were sitting, and though nearer
to Captain Wentworth's table, not very near.
As she joined him, Captain Harville's counte-
nance reassumed the serious, thoughtful expres-
sion which seemed its natural character.
* Look here,' said he, unfolding a parcel in his
hand, and displaying a small miniature painting ;
6 do you know who that is ? '
' Certainly : Captain Ben wick.'
* Yes, and you may guess who it is for. But '
(in a deep tone) * it was not done for her. Miss
Elliot, do you remember our walking together
at Lyme, and grieving for him ? I little thought
then but no matter. This was drawn at the
Cape. He met with a clever young German
artist at the Cape, and in compliance with a
promise to my poor sister, sat to him, and was
bringing it home for her ; and I have now the
charge of getting it properly set for another !
It was a commission to me ! But who else was
there to employ ? I hope I can allow for him.
I am not sorry, indeed, to make it over to
another. He undertakes it' (looking towards
Captain Wentworth) ; 'he is writing about it
now.' And with a quivering lip he wound up
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the whole by adding, ' Poor Fanny ! she would
not have forgotten him so soon.'
'No,' replied Anne, in a low, feeling voice,
' that I can easily believe.'
'It was not in her nature. She doated on
him.'
* It would not be the nature of any woman
who truly loved.'
Captain Harville smiled, as much as to say,
* Do you claim that for your sex ? ' and she
answered the question, smiling also, * Yes. We
certainly do not forget you so soon as you forget
us. It is, perhaps, our fate rather than our
merit. We cannot help ourselves. We live at
home, quiet, confined, and our feelings prey
upon us. You are forced on exertion. You
have always a profession, pursuits, business of
some sort or other, to take you back into the
world immediately, and continual occupation
and change soon weaken impressions.'
* Granting your assertion that the world does
all this so soon for men (which, however, I do
not think I shall grant), it does not apply to
Benwick. He has not been forced upon any
exertion. The peace turned him on shore at
the very moment, and he has been living with
us, in our little family circle, ever since.'
* True,' said Anne, ' very true ; I did not
recollect ; but what shall we say now, Captain
343
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Harville ? If the change be not from outward
circumstances, it must be from within ; it must
be nature, man's nature, which has done the
business for Captain Ben wick.'
'No, no, it is not man's nature. I will not
allow it to be more man's nature than woman's
to be inconstant and forget those they do love,
or have loved. I believe the reverse. I believe
in a true analogy between our bodily frames
and our mental ; and that as our bodies are the
strongest, so are our feelings ; capable of bearing
most rough usage, and riding out the heaviest
weather.'
' Your feelings may be the strongest,' replied
Anne, 'but the same spirit of analogy will
authorise me to assert that ours are the most
tender. Man is more robust than woman, but
he is not longer lived ; which exactly explains
my view of the nature of their attachments.
Nay, it would be too hard upon you, if it were
otherwise. You have difficulties, and privations,
and dangers enough to struggle with. You are
always labouring and toiling, exposed to every
risk and hardship. Your home, country, friends,
all quitted. Neither time, nor health, nor life,
to be called your own. It would be too hard,
indeed' (with a faltering voice), 'if woman's
feelings were to be added to all this.'
'We shall never agree upon this question,'
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Captain Harville was beginning to say, when
a slight noise called their attention to Captain
Wentworth's hitherto perfectly quiet division
of the room. It was nothing more than that
his pen had fallen down ; but Anne was startled
at finding him nearer than she had supposed,
and half inclined to suspect that the pen had
only fallen because he had been occupied by
them, striving to catch sounds, which yet she
did not think he could have caught.
* Have you finished your letter ? ' said Captain
Harville.
'Not quite, a few lines more. I shall have
done in five minutes.'
'There is no hurry on my side. I am only
ready whenever you are. I am in very good
anchorage here ' (smiling at Anne), * well sup-
plied, and want for nothing. No hurry for
a signal at all. Well, Miss Elliot' (lowering
his voice), ' as I was saying, we shall never agree,
I suppose, upon this point. No man and woman
would, probably. But let me observe that all
histories are against you all stories, prose and
verse. If I had such a memory as Benwick,
I could bring you fifty quotations in a moment
on my side the argument, and I do not think
I ever opened a book in my life which had not
something to say upon woman's inconstancy.
Songs and proverbs, all talk of woman's fickle-
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ness. But perhaps, you will say, these were all
written by men.'
* Perhaps I shall. Yes, yes, if you please, no
reference to examples in books. Men have had
every advantage of us in telling their own story.
Education has been theirs in so much higher
a degree; the pen has been in their hands.
I will not allow books to prove anything.'
* But how shall we prove anything ? '
6 We never shall. We never can expect to
prove anything upon such a point. It is a
difference of opinion which does not admit of
proof. We each begin, probably, with a little
bias towards our own sex ; and upon that bias
build every circumstance in favour of it which
has occurred within our own circle ; many of
which circumstances (perhaps those very cases
which strike us the most) may be precisely such
as cannot be brought forward without betraying
a confidence, or, in some respect, saying what
should not be said.'
* Ah 1 ' cried Captain Harville, in a tone of
strong feeling, 'if I could but make you com-
prehend what a man suffers when he takes a last
look at his wife and children, and watches the
boat that he has sent them off in, as long as it
is in sight, and then turns away and says, " God
knows whether we ever meet again ! " And then,
if I could convey to you the glow of his soul
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when he does see them again ; when, coming
back after a twelvemonth's absence, perhaps, and
obliged to put into another port, he calculates
how soon it be possible to get them there, pre-
tending to deceive himself, and saying, "They
cannot be here till such a day," but all the while
hoping for them twelve hours sooner, and seeing
them arrive at last, as if Heaven had given them
wings, by many hours sooner still ! If I could
explain to you all this, and all that a man can
bear and do, and glories to do, for the sake of
these treasures of his existence 1 I speak, you
know, only of such men as have hearts ! ' pressing
his own with emotion.
'Oh!' cried Anne eagerly, 'I hope I do
justice to all that is felt by you, and by those
who resemble you. God forbid that I should
undervalue the warm and faithful feelings of any
of my fellow-creatures ! I should deserve utter
contempt if I dared to suppose that true attach-
ment and constancy were known only by woman.
No, I believe you capable of everything great
and good in your married lives. I believe you
equal to every important exertion, and to every
domestic forbearance, so long as if I may be
allowed the expression, so long as you have an
object. I mean while the woman you love lives,
and lives for you. All the privilege I claim for
my own sex (it is not a very enviable one : you
347
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need not covet it), is that of loving longest, when
existence or when hope is gone ! '
She could not immediately have uttered
another sentence: her heart was too full, her
breath too much oppressed.
* You are a good soul/ cried Captain Harville,
putting his hand on her arm, quite affectionately.
* There is no quarrelling with you. And when
I think of Ben wick, my tongue is tied.'
Their attention was called towards the others.
Mrs. Croft was taking leave.
* Here, Frederick, you and I part company,
I believe,' said she. 'I am going home, and you
have an engagement with your friend. To-night
we may have the pleasure of all meeting again
at your party' (turning to Anne). 'We had
your sister's card yesterday, and I understood
Frederick had a card too, though I did not see
it; and you are disengaged, Frederick, are you
not, as well as ourselves ? '
Captain Wentworth was folding up a letter
in great haste, and either could not or would
not answer fully.
* Yes/ said he, * very true ; here we separate,
but Harville and I shall soon be after you ; that
is, Harville, if you are ready, I am in half a
minute. I know you will not be sorry to be off.
I shall be at your service in half a minute.'
Mrs. Croft left them, and Captain Wentworth,
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having sealed his letter with great rapidity, was
indeed ready, and had even a hurried, agitated
air, which shewed impatience to be gone. Anne
knew not how to understand it. She had the
kindest ' Good morning, God bless you ! ' from
Captain Harville, but from him not a word, nor
a look ! He had passed out of the room without
a look !
She had only time, however, to move closer
to the table where he had been writing, when
footsteps were heard returning; the door opened,
it was himself. He begged their pardon, but
he had forgotten his gloves, and instantly cross-
ing the room to the writing-table, and standing
with his back towards Mrs. Musgrove, he drew
out a letter from under the scattered paper,
placed it before Anne with eyes of glowing^ ^ '
entreaty fixed on her for a time, and hastily ( ^
collecting his gloves, was again out of the room,
almost before Mrs. Musgrove was aware of his
being in it : the work of an instant !
The revolution which one instant had made
in Anne was almost beyond expression. The
letter, with a direction hardly legible, to ' Miss
A. E ,' was evidently the one which he had
been folding so hastily. While supposed to be
writing only to Captain Benwick, he had been
also addressing her ! On the contents of that
letter depended all which this world could do
349
-
PERSUASION
for her. Anything was possible, anything might
be defied rather than suspense. Mrs. Musgrove
had little arrangements of her own at her own
table ; to their protection she must trust, and,
sinking into the chair which he had occupied,
succeeding to the very spot where he had leaned
and written, her eyes devoured the following
words
* I can listen no longer in silence. I must
speak to you by such means as are within my
reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony,
half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that
such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer
myself to you again with a heart even more your
own than when you almost broke it, eight years
and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets
sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier
death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I
may have been, weak and resentful I have been,
but never inconstant. You alone have brought
me to Bath. For you alone I think and plan.
Have you not seen this ? Can you fail to have
understood my wishes ? I had not waited even
these ten days, could I have read your feelings,
as I think you must have penetrated mine. I
can hardly write. I am every instant hearing
something which overpowers me. You sink
your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of
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that voice when they would be lost on others.
Too good, too excellent creature ! You do us
justice, indeed. You do believe that there is
true attachment and constancy among men.
Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating,
in F. W.'
' I must go, uncertain of my fate ; but I shall
return hither, or follow your party, as soon as
possible. A word, a look, will be enough to
decide whether I enter your father's house this
evening or never.'
Such a letter was not to be soon recovered
from. Half an hour's solitude and reflection
might have tranquillised her ; but the ten
minutes only which now passed before she was
interrupted, with all the restraints of her situa-
tion, could do nothing towards tranquillity.
Every moment rather brought fresh agitation.
It was an overpowering happiness. And before
she was beyond the first stage of full sensation,
Charles, Mary, and Henrietta, all came in.
The absolute necessity of seeming like herself
produced then an immediate struggle ; but after
a while she could do no more. She began not
to understand a word they said, and was obliged
to plead indisposition and excuse herself. They
could then see that she looked very ill, were
shocked and concerned, and would not stir
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PERSUASION
without her for the world. This was dreadful.
Would they only have gone away, and left her
in the quiet possession of that room, it would
have been her cure ; but to have them all stand-
ing or waiting around her was distracting, and
in desperation she said she would go home.
* By all means, my dear,' cried Mrs. Mus-
grove, * go home directly, and take care of your-
self, that you may be fit for the evening. I
wish Sarah was here to doctor you, but I am no
doctor myself. Charles, ring and order a chair.
She must not walk.'
But the chair would never do. Worse than
all ! To lose the possibility of speaking two
words to Captain Wentworth in the course of
her quiet, solitary progress up the town (and
she felt almost certain of meeting him) could
not be borne. The chair was earnestly pro-
tested against, and Mrs. Musgrove, who thought
only of one sort of illness, having assured her-
self, with some anxiety, that there had been no
fall in the case ; that Anne had not at any time
lately slipped down, and got a blow on her
head ; that she was perfectly convinced of having
had no fall ; could part with her cheerfully, and
depend on finding her better at night.
Anxious to omit no precaution, Anne
struggled, and said
* I am afraid, ma'am, that it is not perfectly
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understood. Pray be so good as to mention
to the other gentlemen that we hope to see
your whole party this evening. I am afraid
there has been some mistake ; and I wish you
particularly to assure Captain Harville and
Captain Wentworth that we hope to see them
both.'
* Oh 1 my dear, it is quite understood, I give
you my word. Captain Harville has no thought
but of going.'
* Do you think so ? But I am afraid ; and I
should be so very sorry. Will you promise me
to mention it when you see them again ? You
will see them both again this morning, I dare
say. Do promise me.'
( To be sure I will, if you wish it. Charles,
if you see Captain Harville anywhere, remember
to give Miss Anne's message. But, indeed, my
dear, you need not be uneasy. Captain Har-
ville holds himself quite engaged, I '11 answer
for it; and Captain Wentworth the same, I
dare say.'
Anne could do no more ; but her heart pro-
phesied some mischance to damp the perfection
of her felicity. It could not be very lasting,
however. Even if he did not come to Camden
Place himself, it would be in her power to send
an intelligible sentence by Captain Harville.
Another momentary vexation occurred. Charles,
10 z 353
PERSUASION
in his real concern and good nature, would go
home with her; there was no preventing him.
This was almost cruel. But she could not be
long ungrateful; he was sacrificing an engage-
ment at a gunsmith's to be of use to her ; and
she set off with him, with no feeling but gratitude
apparent.
They were in Union Street, when a quicker
step behind, a something of familiar sound, gave
her two moments' preparation for the sight of
Captain Wentworth. He joined them ; but, as
if irresolute whether to join or to pass on, said
nothing, only looked. Anne could command
herself enough to receive that look, and not
repulsively. The cheeks which had been pale
1 now glowed, and the movements which had
hesitated were decided. He walked by her
side. Presently, struck by a sudden thought,
Charles said
'Captain Wentworth, which way are you
going ? Only to Gay Street, or farther up the
town ? '
^ I hardly know/ replied Captain Wentworth,
surprised.
' Are you going as high as Belmont ? Are
you going near Camden Place ? Because if
you are, I shall have no scruple in asking you
to take my place, and give Anne your arm to
her father's door. She is rather done for this
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PERSUASION
morning, and must not go so far without help,
and I ought to be at that fellow's in the market
place. He promised me the sight of a capital
gun he is just going to send off; said he would
keep it unpacked to the last possible moment,
that I might see it ; and if I do not turn back
now, I have no chance. By his description, a
good deal like the second-sized double-barrel
of mine, which you shot with one day round
Winthrop.'
There could not be an objection. There could
be only a most proper alacrity, a most obliging
compliance for public view ; and smiles reined
in and spirits dancing in private rapture. In
half a minute Charles was at the bottom of
Union Street again, and the other two proceed-
ing together : and soon words enough had passed
between them to decide their direction towards
the comparatively quiet and retired gravel walk,
where the power of conversation would make
the present hour a blessing indeed, and prepare
it for all the immortality which the happiest
recollections of their own future lives could
bestow. There they exchanged again those
feelings and those .promises which had once
before seemed to secure everything, but which
had been followed by so many, many years of
division and estrangement. There they returned
again into the past, more exquisitely happy,
355
PERSUASION
perhaps, in their reunion, than when it had been
first projected; more tender, more tried, more
\AJ * fixed in a knowledge of each other's character,
truth, and attachment ; more equal to act, more
justified in acting. And there, as they slowly
paced the gradual ascent, heedless of every group
around them, seeing neither sauntering poli-
ticians, bustling housekeepers, flirting girls, nor
>*V nurserymaids and children, they could indulge
in those retrospections and acknowledgments,
and especially in those explanations of what had
directly preceded the present moment, which
were so poignant and so ceaseless in interest.
All the little variations of the last week were
gone through ; and of yesterday and to-day there
could scarcely be an end.
She had not mistaken him. Jealousy of
Mr. Elliot had been the retarding weight, the
doubt, the torment. That had begun to operate
in the very hour of first meeting her in Bath ;
that had returned, after a short suspension, to
ruin the concert ; and that had influenced him
in everything he had said and done, or omitted
to say and do, in the last four-and-twenty hours.
It had been gradually yielding to the better
hopes which her looks, or words, or actions
occasionally encouraged ; it had been vanquished
at last by those sentiments and those tones
which had reached him while she talked with
356
PERSUASION
Captain Harville ; and under the irresistible
governance of which he had seized a sheet of
paper, and poured out his feelings.
Of what he had then written nothing was to
be retracted or qualified. He persisted in hav-
ing loved none but her. She had never been
supplanted. He never even believed himself
to see her equal. Thus much, indeed, he was
obliged to acknowledge : that he had been con-
stant unconsciously, nay unintentionally ; that
he had meant to forget her, and believed it to
be done. He had imagined himself indifferent,
when he had only been angry ; and he had been
unjust to her merits, because he had been a
sufferer from them. Her character was now
fixed on his mind as perfection itself, maintain-
ing the loveliest medium of fortitude and gentle-
ness ; but he was obliged to acknowledge that
only at Uppercross had he learnt to do her
justice, and only at Lyme had he begun to
understand himself. At Lyme he had received
lessons of more than one sort. The passing
admiration of Mr. Elliot had at least roused
him, and the scenes on the Cobb and at
Captain Harville's had fixed her superiority.
In his preceding attempts to attach himself
to Louisa Musgrove (the attempts of angry
pride), he protested that he had for ever felt it
to be impossible ; that he had not cared, could
10 z* 357
PERSUASION
not care, for Louisa ; though till that day, till
the leisure for reflection which followed it, he
had not understood the perfect excellence of the
mind with which Louisa's could so ill bear a
comparison, or the perfect unrivalled hold it
possessed over his own. There he had learnt
to distinguish between the steadiness of principle
and the obstinacy of self-will, between the
darings of heedlessness and the resolution of a
collected mind. There he had seen everything
to exalt in his estimation the woman he had
lost ; and there begun to deplore the pride, the
folly, the madness of resentment, which had
kept him from trying to regain her when thrown
in his way.
From that period his penance had become
severe. He had no sooner been free from the
horror and remorse attending the first few days
of Louisa's accident, no sooner begun to feel
himself alive again, than he had began to feel
himself, though alive, not at liberty.
' I found,' said he, ' that I was considered by
Harville an engaged man 1 That neither Har-
ville nor his wife entertained a doubt of our
mutual attachment. I was startled and shocked.
To a degree, I could contradict this instantly ;
but when I began to reflect that others might
have felt the same her own family, nay, per-
haps herself I was no longer at my own dis-
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PERSUASION
posal. I was hers in honour if she wished it.
I had been unguarded. I had not thought
seriously on this subject before. I had not con-
sidered that my excessive intimacy must have
its danger of ill consequence in many ways;
and that I had no right to be trying whether
I could attach myself to either of the girls, at
the risk of raising even an unpleasant report,
were there no other ill effects. I had been
grossly wrong, and must abide the consequences.'
He found too late, in short, that he had en-
tangled himself; and that precisely as he became
fully satisfied of his not caring for Louisa at all,
he must regard himself as bound to her, if her
sentiments for him were what the Harvilles
supposed. It determined him to leave Lyme,
and await her complete recovery elsewhere.
He would gladly weaken, by any fair means,
whatever feelings or speculations concerning
him might exist ; and he went, therefore, to
his brother's, meaning after a while to return
to Kellynch, and act as circumstances might
require.
' I was six weeks with Edward/ said he, ' and
saw him happy. I could have no other pleasure.
I deserved none. He inquired after you very
particularly ; asked even if you were personally
altered, little suspecting that to my eye you
could never alter.'
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PERSUASION
Anne smiled, and let it pass. It was too
pleasing a blunder for a reproach. It is some-
thing for a woman to be assured, in her eight-
and-twentieth year, that she has not lost one
charm of earlier youth : but the value of such
homage was inexpressibly increased to Anne,
by comparing it with former words, and feeling
it to be the result, not the cause, of a revival of
his warm attachment.
He had remained in Shropshire, lamenting
the blindness of his own pride, and the blunders
of his own calculations, till at once released
from Louisa by the astonishing and felicitous
intelligence of her engagement with Ben wick.
6 Here,' said he, ' ended the worst of my
state; for now I could at least put myself in
the way of happiness ; I could exert myself;
I could do something. But to be waiting so
long in inaction, and waiting only for evil, had
been dreadful. Within the first five minutes
I said, " I will be at Bath on Wednesday," and
I was. Was it unpardonable to think it worth
my while to come ? and to arrive with some
degree of hope ? You were single. It was
possible that you might retain the feelings of
the past, as I did : and one encouragement
happened to be mine. I could never doubt
that you would be loved and sought by others,
but I knew to a certainty that you had refused
360
PERSUASION
one man, at least, of better pretensions than
myself; and I could not help often saying,
" Was this for me ? " '
Their first meeting in Milsom Street afforded
much to be said, but the concert still more.
That evening seemed to be made up of exquisite
moments. The moment of her stepping forward
in the Octagon Room to speak to him : the
moment of Mr. Elliot's appearing and tearing
her away, and one or two subsequent moments,
marked by returning hope or increasing despon-
dency, were dwelt on with energy.
* To see you,' cried he, ' in the midst of those
who could not be my well-wishers ; to see your
cousin close by you, conversing and smiling, and
feel all the horrible eligibilities and proprieties
of the match ! To consider it as the certain
wish of every being who could hope to influence
you ! Even if your own feelings were reluctant
or indifferent, to consider what powerful sup-
ports would be his ! Was it not enough to
make the fool of me which I appeared ? How
could I look on without agony ? Was not the
very sight of the friend who sat behind you,
was not the recollection of what had been, the
knowledge of her influence, the indelible, im-
movable impression of what persuasion had once
done was it not all against me ? '
You should have distinguished,' replied Anne.
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' You should not have suspected me now ; the
case so different, and my age so different. If I
was wrong in yielding to persuasion once, re-
member that it was to persuasion exerted on
the side of safety, not of risk. When I yielded,
I thought it was to duty, but no duty could be
called in aid here. In marrying a man indifferent
to me, all risk would have been incurred, and
all duty violated.'
' Perhaps I ought to have reasoned thus,' he
replied, 'but I could not. I could not derive
benefit from the late knowledge I had acquired
of your character. I could not bring it into
play ; it was overwhelmed, buried, lost in those
earlier feelings which I had been smarting under
year after year. I could think of you only as
one who had yielded, who had given me up,
who had been influenced by any one rather than
by me. I saw you with the very person who
had guided you in that year of misery. I had
no reason to believe her of less authority now.
The force of habit was to be added.'
' I should have thought,' said Anne, ' that my
manner to yourself might have spared you much
or all of this.'
* No, no ! your manner might be only the ease
which your engagement to another man would
give. I left you in this belief; and yet, I was
determined to see you again. My spirits rallied
362
PERSUASION
with the morning, and I felt that I had still a
motive for remaining here.'
At last Anne was at home again, and happier
than any one in that house could have conceived.
All the surprise and suspense, and every other
painful part of the morning dissipated by this
conversation, she re-entered the house so happy
as to be obliged to find an alloy in some momen-
tary apprehensions of its being impossible to
last. An interval of meditation, serious and
grateful, was the best corrective of everything
dangerous in such high- wrought felicity ; and
she went to her room, and grew steadfast and
fearless in the thankfulness of her enjoyment.
The evening came, the drawing-rooms were
lighted up, the company assembled. It was but
a card-party, it was but a mixture of those who
had never met before, and those who met too
often : a commonplace business, too numerous
for intimacy, too small for variety ; but Anne
had never found an evening shorter. Glowing
and lovely in sensibility and happiness, and more
generally admired than she thought about or
cared for, she had cheerful or forbearing feelings
for every creature around her. Mr. Elliot was
there ; she avoided, but she could pity him.
The Wallises she had amusement in under-
standing them. Lady Dalrymple and Miss
Carteret they would soon be innoxious cousins
363
PERSUASION
to her. She cared not for Mrs. Clay, and had
nothing to blush for in the public manners of
her father and sister. With the Musgroves,
there was the happy chat of perfect ease ; with
Captain Harville, the kind-hearted intercourse
of brother and sister; with Lady Russell, at-
tempts at conversation, which a delicious con-
sciousness cut short ; with Admiral and Mrs.
Croft, everything of peculiar cordiality and
fervent interest, which the same consciousness
sought to conceal; and with Captain Went-
worth, some moments of communication con-
tinually occurring, and always the hope of
more, and always the knowledge of his being
there.
It was in one of these short meetings, each
apparently occupied in admiring a fine display
of greenhouse plants, that she said
6 1 have been thinking over the past, and
trying impartially to judge of the right and
wrong, I mean with regard to myself; and I
must believe that I was right, much as I suffered
from it, that I was perfectly right in being
guided by the friend whom you will love better
than you do now. To me, she was in the place
of a parent. Do not mistake me, however. I
am not saying that she did not err in her advice-
It was, perhaps, one of those cases in which
advice is good or bad only as the event decides ;
364
PERSUASION
and for myself, I certainly never should, in any
circumstance of tolerable similarity, give such
advice. But I mean that I was right in sub-
mitting to her, and that if I had done otherwise,
I should have suffered more in continuing the
engagement than I did even in giving it up,
because I should have suffered in my conscience.
I have now, as far as such a sentiment is allow-
able in human nature, nothing to reproach
myself with ; and, if I mistake not, a strong
sense of duty is no bad part of a woman's
portion.'
He looked at her, looked at Lady Russell,
and looking again at her, replied, as if in cool
deliberation
' Not yet, but there are hopes of her being
forgiven in time. I trust to being in charity
with her soon. But I too have been thinking
over the past, and a question has suggested
itself, whether there may not have been one
person more my enemy even than that lady ?
My own self. Tell me if, when I returned to
England, in the year eight, with a few thousand
pounds, and was posted into the Laconia, if I
had then written to you, would you have
answered my letter ? Would you, in short,
have renewed the engagement then ? '
' Would I ? ' was all her answer ; but the
accent was decisive enough.
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PERSUASION
6 Good God ! ' he cried, * you would ! It is
not that I did not think of it, or desire it, as
what could alone crown all my other success ;
but I was proud, too proud to ask again. I did
not understand you. I shut my eyes, and would
not understand you, or do you justice. This is
a recollection, which ought to make me forgive
every one sooner than myself. Six years of
separation and suffering might have been spared.
It is a sort of pain, too, which is new to me. I
have been used to the gratification of believing
myself to earn every blessing that I enjoyed. I
have valued myself on honourable toils and just
rewards. Like other great men under reverses,'
he added, with a smile, * I must endeavour to
subdue my mind to my fortune. I must learn
to brook being happier than I deserve.
CHAPTER XXIV
WHO can be in doubt of what followed ? When
any two young people take it into their heads
to marry, they are pretty sure by perseverance
to carry their point, be they ever so poor, or
ever so imprudent, or ever so little likely to be
necessary to each other's ultimate comfort. This
may be bad morality to conclude with, but I
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believe it to be truth ; and if such parties suc-
ceed, how should a Captain Wentworth and an
Anne Elliot, with the advantage of maturity of
mind, consciousness of right, and one indepen-
dent fortune between them, fail of bearing down
every opposition ? They might, in fact, have
borne down a great deal more than they met
with, for there was little to distress them beyond
the want of graciousness and warmth. Sir Walter
made no objection, and Elizabeth did nothing
worse than look cold and unconcerned. Captain
Wentworth, with five - and - twenty thousand
pounds, and as high in his profession as merit
and activity could place him, was no longer
nobody. He was now esteemed quite worthy
to address the daughter of a foolish, spendthrift
baronet, who had not had principle or sense
enough to maintain himself in the situation in
which Providence had placed him, and who
could give his daughter at present but a small
part of the share of ten thousand pounds which
must be hers hereafter.
Sir Walter, indeed, though he had no affec-
tion for Anne, and no vanity flattered, to make
him really happy on the occasion, was very far
from thinking it a bad match for her. On the
contrary, when he saw more of Captain Went-
worth, saw him repeatedly by daylight, and
eyed him well, he was very much struck by his
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personal claims, and felt that his superiority
of appearance might be not unfairly balanced
against her superiority of rank; and all this,
assisted by his well-sounding name, enabled
Sir Walter, at last, to prepare his pen, with a
very good grace, for the insertion of the marriage
in the volume of honour.
The only one among them whose opposition
of feeling could excite any serious anxiety was
Lady Russell. Anne knew that Lady Russell
must be suffering some pain in understanding
and relinquishing Mr. Elliot, and be making
some struggles to become truly acquainted with,
and do justice to Captain Wentworth. This,
however, was what Lady Russell had now to
do. She must learn to feel that she had been
mistaken with regard to both ; that she had
been unfairly influenced by appearances in each ;
that because Captain Wentworth 's manners had
not suited her own ideas, she had been too
quick in suspecting them to indicate a character
of dangerous impetuosity ; and that because
Mr. Elliot's manners had precisely pleased her
in their propriety and correctness, their general
politeness and suavity, she had been too quick
in receiving them as the certain result of the
most correct opinions and well-regulated mind.
There was nothing less for Lady Russell to do,
than to admit that she had been pretty com--
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PERSUASION
pletely wrong, and to take up a new set of
opinions and of hopes.
There is a quickness of perception in some,
a nicety in the discernment of character, a
natural penetration, in short, which no experi-
ence in others can equal, and Lady Russell had
been less gifted in this part of understanding
than her young friend. But she was a very
good woman, and if her second object was to be
sensible and well-judging, her first was to see
Anne happy. She loved Anne better than she
loved her own abilities ; and, when the awkward-
ness of the beginning was over, found little
hardship in attaching herself as a mother to the
man who was securing the happiness of her
other child.
Of all the family, Mary was probably the one
most immediately gratified by the circumstance.
It was creditable to have a sister married, and
she might flatter herself with having been
greatly instrumental to the connexion, by keep-
ing Anne with her in the autumn ; and as her
own sister must be better than her husband's
sisters, it was very agreeable that Captain Went-
worth should be a richer man than either
Captain Benwick or Charles Hayter. She had
something to suffer, perhaps, when they came
into contact again, in seeing Anne restored to
the rights of seniority, and the mistress of a
10 2A 369
PERSUASION
very pretty landaulette ; but she had a future
to look forward to, of powerful consolation.
Anne had no Uppercross Hall before her, no
landed estate, no headship of a family; and if
they could but keep Captain Wentworth from
being made a baronet, she would not change
situations with Anne.
It would be well for the eldest sister if she
were equally satisfied with her situation, for a
change is not very probable there. She had
soon the mortification of seeing Mr. Elliot
withdraw, and no one of proper condition has
since presented himself to raise even the un-
founded hopes which sunk with him.
The news of his cousin Anne's engagement
burst on Mr. Elliot most unexpectedly. It
deranged his best plan of domestic happiness,
his best hope of keeping Sir Walter single by
the watchfulness which a son-in-law's rights
would have given. But, though discomfited
and disappointed, he could still do something
for his own interest and his own enjoyment.
He soon quitted Bath ; and on Mrs. Clay's
quitting it soon afterwards, and being next
heard of as established under his protection in
London, it was evident how double a game he
had been playing, and how determined he was
to save himself from being cut out by one
artful woman, at least.
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PERSUASION
Mrs. Clay's affections had overpowered her
interest, and she had sacrificed, for the young
man's sake, the possibility of scheming longer
for Sir Walter. She has abilities, however, as
well as affections ; and it is now a doubtful point
whether his cunning, or hers, may finally carry
the day; whether, after preventing her from
being the wife of Sir Walter, he may not be
wheedled and caressed at last into making her
the wife of Sir William.
It cannot be doubted that Sir Walter and
Elizabeth were shocked and mortified by the
loss of their companion, and the discovery of
their deception in her. They had their great
cousins, to be sure, to resort to for comfort;
but they must long feel that to flatter and
follow others, without being flattered and fol-
lowed in turn, is but a state of half enjoyment.
Anne, satisfied at a very early period of Lady
Russell's meaning to love Captain Wentworth
as she ought, had no other alloy to the happi-
ness of her prospects than what arose from the
consciousness of having no relations to bestow
on him which a man of sense could value.
There she felt her own inferiority keenly. The
disproportion in their fortune was nothing : it
did not give her a moment's regret ; but to have
no family to receive and estimate him properly,
nothing of respectability, of harmony, of good-
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PERSUASION
will to offer in return for all the worth and all
the prompt welcome which met her in his
brothers and sisters, was a source of as lively
pain as her mind could well be sensible of under
circumstances of otherwise strong felicity. She
had but two friends in the world to add to his
list, Lady Russell and Mrs. Smith. To those,
however, he was very well disposed to attach
himself. Lady Russell, in spite of all her
former transgressions, he could now value from
his heart. While he was not obliged to say
that he believed her to have been right in
originally dividing them, he was ready to say
almost everything else in her favour, and as for
Mrs. Smith, she had claims of various kinds to
recommend her quickly and permanently.
Her recent good offices by Anne had been
enough in themselves, and their marriage, in-
stead of depriving her of one friend, secured
her two. She was their earliest visitor in their
settled life, and Captain Wentworth, by putting
her in the way of recovering her husband's pro-
perty in the West Indies, by writing for her,
acting for her, and seeing her through all the
petty difficulties of the case with the activity
and exertion of a fearless man and a determined
friend, fully requited the services which she
had rendered, or ever meant to render, to his
wife.
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PERSUASION
Mrs. Smith's enjoyments were not spoiled by
this improvement of income, with some im-
provement of health, and the acquisition of such
friends to be often with, for her cheerfulness
and mental alacrity did not fail her ; and while
these prime supplies of good remained, she
might have bid defiance even to greater acces-
sions of worldly prosperity. She might have
been absolutely rich and perfectly healthy, and
yet be happy. Her spring of felicity was in the
glow of her spirits, as her friend Anne's was in
the warmth of her heart. Anne was tenderness
itself, and she had the full worth of it in Captain
Wentworth's affection. His profession was all
that could ever make her friends wish that
tenderness less, the dread of a future war all
that could dim her sunshine. She gloried in
being a sailor's wife, but she must pay the tax
of quick alarm for belonging to that profession
which is, if possible, more distinguished in its
domestic virtues than in its national importance.
Printed by T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers' to His Majesty
at the Edinburgh University Press
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